The university-level Faculty Excellence winners will be announced at the April 4 ceremony at 6 p.m. in the Schueck, McCarty, Lexicon Inc. Auditorium in the Engineering and Information Technology Building.

More information on the Donaghey College of STEM winners and excerpts from their nomination letters are below:

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Talburt is the director of the Information Quality Graduate Program at 糖心Vlog传媒 at Little Rock, a professor of information science, and Acxiom chair of information quality.

Talburt has been very active in scholarship over the past five years. He has played a major role in projects that involve graduate assistantships for master鈥檚 and doctoral programs, which provide great opportunities to students of those programs.

In addition to securing funded research grants, Talburt has historically published several research articles each year, often co-authoring with students and alumni to help 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students establish research credentials. He has also given many presentations in campus and industry talks and conferences.

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Dr. Siraj is an associate professor of chemistry at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Siraj has served in numerous committees in the chemistry department, including the awards committee, the schedule committee, chemical safety committee, chemistry program technology committee, among several others. In addition to her service within the chemistry program, Siraj has also served in various university committees, such as the faculty senate honors and awards committee, the students research and creative works committee, and the college combination task force, among others.

Siraj has also been involved in professional and community service outside the university. The Central Arkansas American Chemical Society honored her with two prestigious awards in 2023; Central Arkansas Professor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. Over the past five years, Siraj has mentored 22 middle and high school students for their science fair projects, three of whom have won awards at the Scientific Review Committee for International Science and Engineering Fair.

Siraj has played a significant role in the community by helping build pathways to STEM careers for underserved children in Little Rock, as well as encouraging students, especially female students, to follow their STEM-related interests.

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

Dr. Turner is an assistant professor of construction management and civil and construction engineering at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Turner has exhibited great dedication to providing an enhanced educational experience to students within her program. In 2019, Turner secured two grants that significantly advanced teaching resources within her department.

Turner employs an innovative approach when it comes to teaching, integrating traditional lectures with interactive approaches and accommodating different learning styles. She strives to foster a positive educational environment of inclusivity where students feel heard and valued. Turner goes above and beyond for students by analyzing student feedback and adapting to their educational needs.

Faculty Excellence Award for Social Justice

Dr. Moore is the Learning Assistant (LA) program coordinator at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, the director of undergraduate research, as well as the director of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participants (LSAMP). When asked to lead LSAMP, the program had not had leadership for over a year. Moore worked hard to revive the program by recruiting more students to attend 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as part of the LSAMP program cohort, and built a program that includes weekly activities such as career mentoring, professional training, and service opportunities.

The Learning Assistants program allows students who have recently completed a course to help the next group of students who take the class. During their first semester assisting in the classroom, LAs take a course on pedagogy to help them facilitate learning for other students. As Learning Assistants program coordinator, Moore has expanded the LA program participation from four to 12 faculty members who now use 35 LAs. Moore also partnered with Dr. Mark Baillie and Dr. Lundon Pinneo to write a grant which allows LAs to receive stipends for their leadership roles.

As director of undergraduate research, Moore has doubled the number of student applications for research grants. The diversity and number of students who have their research funded has vastly increased under his leadership.

Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty

Dr. Ghosh is an assistant professor of engineering at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Over the past two years, Ghosh has demonstrated his commitment to student success, teaching three courses each semester and performing well in all of them. Ghosh has joined the Mobile Institute of Scientific Teaching and Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence in order to become an even more effective instructor, and has established a successful research and education program in thin film fabrication and characterization.

Ghosh is known for his team-player mentality, which has facilitated the establishment of research partnerships between universities and more. Currently, Ghosh is involved with two projects with faculty from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and Arkansas State University.

Ghosh is also very involved in supporting the research endeavors of undergraduate and graduate students with his mentorship, and several of his undergraduate mentees have received signature experience grants from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship grants from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. These students have presented at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Student Research and Creative Works Expo and received recognition for their work.

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This resounding success not only showcases the collective spirit that defines the university but also highlights the enduring commitment of its community to invest in the institution’s mission and future.

鈥淭his accomplishment is a testament to the dedication and generosity of our campus community,鈥� said Dr. Aresh Assadi, director of Counseling Services and chair of the Campus Campaign. 鈥淩eaching this participation level is not only a numerical success but also speaks to the sense of unity and commitment among our employees. I believe that boosting internal participation is crucial as it positively impacts our external fundraising efforts, creating a strong foundation for the university’s growth and development.鈥�

Reaching this goal speaks to the shared belief in the transformative power of education and the collective impact of small acts of giving. Altogether, nearly 350 university employees donated to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock during 2023.

“The spirited engagement of our dedicated faculty and staff in the Campus Campaign goes beyond monetary contributions,鈥� said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淭his wholehearted internal support significantly fortifies our university’s standing as we approach external donors for major gifts. It communicates a compelling message 鈥� that those intimately connected to the university are wholeheartedly committed to its mission. This collective investment not only enhances our credibility but also amplifies our appeal when seeking external funds. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the staff, faculty, and administrators who played instrumental roles in organizing this year’s campaign. With the capable assistance of Laterika Tooks and Kristi Smith, it became a total team effort. Witnessing such collaboration makes me immensely proud to be a Trojan.”

The university owes a special thanks to the dedicated employees who helped lead the Campus Campaign effort across campus. Campus Campaign Steering Committee members included Assadi, Mark Baillie, Shelia Brooks, Sikia Brown, Jessie Burchfield, Anthony Buttrum, Katrina Christopher, Reed Claiborne, Shannon Collier-Tenison, andre cummings, Joe Felan, Tyler Harrison, Carrie Phillips, Derek Slagle, Judy Staley, Joanne Matson, Brandy Dixon, and Emily Bell.

Campus Campaign Ambassadors included Katie Helms, Dawn Johnson, Sadie Lea, Monica Meadows, Leisa Myles, Vanessa Whitman, Angela Willis, April Chatham-Capenter, Mercades Parker, Bobbie Handcock, Salina Ables, Reteisha Byrd, Morgan Leyenberger, Mohammad Goodarzi, Keith Harris, Mary French, Rachel Mercado, Belinda Nix, Cynthia Dedner, Al Baker, Jennifer Lampkin, Anne Turner, Grace Zafasi, and Mary Tillman.

鈥淭he dedication of our Steering Committee and Campus Ambassadors was evident throughout the campus, and I had the opportunity to observe the effort they invested behind the scenes,鈥� said Laterika Tooks, director of annual giving at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淚 feel fortunate to collaborate with numerous faculty and staff members who are enthusiastic about their roles and committed to the development and achievement of this university.鈥�

A total of 18 campus departments achieved 100 percent giving in 2023, which is 50 percent more than 2022.

Those departments include Alumni and Development, Applied Communication, the Bursar鈥檚 Office, the Chancellor鈥檚 Office, Concurrent Enrollment, Counseling Services, Disability Resource Center, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Financial Services, Institute of Chief Data Officers, Mail Services, Marketing and Communications, Office of Military Student Success, Sequoyah National Research Center, Study Abroad, Student Retention Initiatives, Testing and Student Life Research, and the Trojan Transition and Assistance Center.

Bobbie Handcock, a web content specialist who served as a campus ambassador, said that she likes to donate to causes like the Trojan Food Pantry or to help buy caps and gowns for graduating students.

鈥淚 work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and I鈥檓 also a graduate student,鈥� Handcock said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to see things from a student鈥檚 perspective and talk with my classmates about challenges that they may face. I know how important it is to have support 鈥� both financially and academically. The Campus Campaign generates funds to help students succeed and reach their goals.鈥�

As a campus campaign ambassador, Handcock explained how a gift to the university is an investment in future leaders, innovators, and professionals.

鈥淏y donating, you can help provide scholarships, financial aid, and resources to students who might not otherwise have the means to pursue a college education,鈥� Handcock said. 鈥淏y contributing, you can help feed someone who is hungry or clothe someone who needs business attire for a job interview. I shared ways that they could support the campaign, including purchasing a legacy brick, giving to an area that means the most to them or giving a gift-in-kind such as to the Trojan Career Closet. I encouraged them to remember that it doesn鈥檛 matter what you give, as long as you give.鈥�

The gifts are a part of the Centennial Campaign, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 fundraising campaign to raise $250 million in celebration of the university鈥檚 100-year anniversary in 2027. The Campus Campaign was part of a cumulative fundraising year that netted more than $22 million for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Visit to learn more about the Centennial Campaign.

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