1999 - 2019 Faculty Awards

Distinguished Faculty Service

2019: J. Steven Ott, Professor—Political Science/Public Administration, former Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science from (2000-2009)

Steve Ott has been at the University of Utah since 1992 and spent his entire career fostering lasting relationships among institutions, diverse communities, and multitudes of students. Dr. Ott also served on the board of the Utah Non-Profits Assocation, creating connections between dozens of NPO's and University of Utah classes. He served as the MPA Director, Director of the Institute of Public and International Affairs and Global Enterprise, using all of these positions to facilitate greater connectivity between students, faculty, and community.

2018: Julie Metos, Assistant Professor—Nutrition and Integrative Physiology; Executive Director of the University of Utah Center for Community Nutrition. 

“In my career I have focused on the epidemic of childhood obesity and also the relatively new concept that when you are food insecure you are more likely to be overweight or obese. My interests were more in working with low income folks, where nutrition intersects with social justice,” she says. “I basically try to figure out ways that we can do early prevention for childhood obesity.”

2017: Armando Solorzano—Family and Consumer Studies and Ethnic Studies

Dr. Solorzano has worked for nearly three decades to "validate the experiences of disenfranchised or minoritized groups in Utah, to promote dialogue and understanding among different racial groups, to influence public policy, and to incorporate Utah minorities in the state and national research agendas." He created a traveling exhibit, "We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe: Recuerdo, Celebracion, y Esperanza: Latinos in Utah," that was viewed by more than 110,000 people and later resulted in a book published in Spanish and English. He organized the April 2006 Dignity March in Utah. Dr. Solorzano created the Utah Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers Council to coordinate the health programs, educational efforts, and legal representation of 20,000 migrant workers in Utah, and he has worked for more than a decade with Even Start Program, which focuses on helping new immigrants integrate into local communities. He is recognized for his commitment to community-engaged learning and inspiring "students to become agents of social change."

2016: Jensie Anderson—Law

Dr. Anderson joined the S. J. Quinney College of Law in 1999 and soon was asked to help establish the Rocky Mountain Innocence Project, a program to represent individuals who had been wrongfully convicted of crimes. In 2001, Dr. Anderson became president of the board of directors, as well as the primary volunteer attorney for RMIC. As the center grew, she supervised law students who volunteered to investigate cases of possible innocence, obtained funding, hired staff, and recruited volunteer attorneys from private practice. Dr. Anderson also established a community-engaged learning course, Innocence Investigation and Post-Conviction Process, and Innocence Clinic, which enables students to earn credit interning with RMIC. .

2015: Carrie Byington—Pediatrics

Dr. Byington has worked for many years as a physician at the Salt Lake Valley Health Department’s South Main Clinic, which treats minority and underserved women and children. Her work there underscores her belief that all physicians owe a debt of service to their community. She also has given selflessly to others. 

 

2014: Hester Henderson—Exercise and Sport Science

2013: Patricia Eisenman—Exercise and Sport Science

2012: Ronald Smelser—History

2011: Marissa Diener—Family & Consumer Studies

2010: Luke Garrott—Political Science

2009: Janet Kaufman—English

2008: Robert Young—Architecture

2007: Linda Smith—Law

2006: Paul Florsheim—Psychology

2005: Barbara Brown—Family & Consumer Studies

2004: Cheryl Wright—Family & Consumer Studies

2003: Not awarded

2002: Carol Werner—Psychology

2001: Cheryl Wright—Family & Consumer Studies

2000: Robert Huefner—Political Science

1999: Kazuo Matsabayashi—Architecture