Faculty and Staff Recognized with Annual Woodruff School Awards
May 1, 2024
By Ashley Ritchie
Faculty and staff in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering were recognized with 19 different awards at the Faculty and Staff Honors, Awards, and Promotions Reception on April 25.
Members of the Woodruff School community nominated their colleagues, honoring those who make the School a better place and go above and beyond their job responsibilities to create an inclusive culture and enable others to succeed.
This year's faculty winners included:
- Culture Champion Award: David Torello
- Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award: Surya Kalidindi, Suresh Sitaraman
- Mentor of the Year Award: Dan Kotlyar, Suresh Sitaraman
- Outstanding Achievement in Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Award: F. Levent Degertekin
- Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Anirban Mazumdar, Akanksha Menon
- Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Award: W. Hong Yeo
- Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Award: Jill Fennell, Michael Tinskey
- Research Award: Matthew McDowell, Ankur Singh
- Teaching Excellence Award for Non-Tenure Track Faculty: Denis Dorozhkin, David Smith
David Torello
This Culture Champion Award is presented to faculty who have made a positive impact on the culture of the staff in the Woodruff School. Honorees are faculty members who makes a difference, advocate for a positive and productive culture, and work to support and/or develop successful cultural practices that support the Woodruff School’s strategic educational and research goals.

Surya Kalidindi
The Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award is presented to full professors who have made sustained and significant contributions throughout their career, with particular emphasis on recent educational, research, and professional service activities. Most measures of faculty productivity are considered for over the past 10 years, while the number of publications, number of citations, number of Ph.D. students graduated, and awards and honors received are over the duration of the faculty member’s entire career.

Suresh Sitaraman
The Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award is presented to full professors who have made sustained and significant contributions throughout their career, with particular emphasis on recent educational, research, and professional service activities. Most measures of faculty productivity are considered for over the past 10 years, while the number of publications, number of citations, number of Ph.D. students graduated, and awards and honors received are over the duration of the faculty member’s entire career.

Dan Kotlyar
The Mentor of the Year Award is presented to faculty who have excelled in the mentorship of faculty, staff, or students. The award recognizes the time and effort that the nominee spends in mentoring and serving the School community. Selection criteria includes the overall impact of faculty on the greater community. Results include significant, high-quality, innovative contributions to instruction, their field of study, or a visible impact on one or more mission areas.

Suresh Sitaraman
The Mentor of the Year Award is presented to faculty who have excelled in the mentorship of faculty, staff, or students. The award recognizes the time and effort that the nominee spends in mentoring and serving the School community. Selection criteria includes the overall impact of faculty on the greater community. Results include significant, high-quality, innovative contributions to instruction, their field of study, or a visible impact on one or more mission areas.

F. Levent Degertekin
The Outstanding Achievement in Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Award is presented to faculty who have achievements in commercialization and entrepreneurship related to Georgia Tech research, as demonstrated through fundraising at a company, licensing, acquisition, or other entrepreneurial activities.

Anirban Mazumdar
The Outstanding Junior Faculty Award is presented to assistant professors who have made significant, high-quality, and innovative contributions in research, teaching, and service as demonstrated, for example, by excellence in research authorship, extramural funding, graduate student mentorship, innovation in teaching, or outreach.

Akanksha Menon
The Outstanding Junior Faculty Award is presented to assistant professors who have made significant, high-quality, and innovative contributions in research, teaching, and service as demonstrated, for example, by excellence in research authorship, extramural funding, graduate student mentorship, innovation in teaching, or outreach.

W. Hong Yeo
The Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Award is presented to associate professors who have made significant, high-quality, and innovative contributions in research, teaching, and service as demonstrated, for example, by excellence in research authorship, extramural funding, graduate student mentorship, innovation in teaching, or outreach.

Jill Fennell
The Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Award is presented to academic and research faculty who have outstanding accomplishments and/or performance in one or more of the following areas: program development and management/support, teaching, research, or service.

Michael Tinskey
The Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Award is presented to academic and research faculty who have outstanding accomplishments and/or performance in one or more of the following areas: program development and management/support, teaching, research, or service.

Matthew McDowell
The Research Award is presented to faculty who have made a significant contribution to their field and to the reputation of the Woodruff School through innovations in research that support the Woodruff School’s strategic educational and research goals.

Ankur Singh
The Research Award is presented to faculty who have made a significant contribution to their field and to the reputation of the Woodruff School through innovations in research that support the Woodruff School’s strategic educational and research goals.

Denis Dorozhkin
The Teaching Excellence Award for Non-Tenure Track Faculty is presented to non-tenure track faculty who have exceptional performance and excellence in the area of teaching. Nominees are validated by documented teaching excellence which may include CIOS scores, student input, and peer reviews.

David Smith
The Teaching Excellence Award for Non-Tenure Track Faculty is presented to non-tenure track faculty who have exceptional performance and excellence in the area of teaching. Nominees are validated by documented teaching excellence which may include CIOS scores, student input, and peer reviews.

This year's staff honorees included:
- Culture Champion Award: Mack Curtis, Darryl Williams
- Hats Off Performance Award: Lauren Allen, Nichelle Compton
- Leader Jackets Award: Glenda Johnson, Regina Neequaye
- Outstanding Staff Leadership Award: Scott Elliott, Stephen Fuller
- Outstanding Student Support Award: Kyle French
- Professional Support Excellence Award: Jacob Blevins, DeMarlo West
- Solutions Award: Angela Hicks, Courtney Sykes
- Staff Excellence Award: Michelle Graham, Ranjini Unnikrishnan
- Staff of the Year Award: Joi Outlaw, Ashley Ritchie
Mack Curtis
The Culture Champion Award is presented to staff who went above and beyond to facilitate, enable, and support the teaching and research initiatives of faculty and their research groups. This award recognizes staff members who strive to make a difference and work to support and/or develop successful cultural practices that support the Woodruff School’s strategic educational and research goals.

Darryl Williams
The Culture Champion Award is presented to staff who went above and beyond to facilitate, enable, and support the teaching and research initiatives of faculty and their research groups. This award recognizes staff members who strive to make a difference and work to support and/or develop successful cultural practices that support the Woodruff School’s strategic educational and research goals.

Nichelle Compton
The Hats Off Performance Award is presented to staff who have demonstrated exceptional job performance and/or service to the Woodruff School above and beyond the call of duty. This award recognizes the excellent performance by staff members in support of the School's strategic educational and research goals. These activities enhance the quality of the School's programs through achievements beyond normal expectations for staff.

Lauren Allen
The Hats Off Performance Award is presented to staff who have demonstrated exceptional job performance and/or service to the Woodruff School above and beyond the call of duty. This award recognizes the excellent performance by staff members in support of the School's strategic educational and research goals. These activities enhance the quality of the School's programs through achievements beyond normal expectations for staff.

Glenda Johnson
The Leader Jackets Award is presented to staff supervisors who are a critical piece of the team in the Woodruff School as they hire and train new employees, provide guidance, and build the culture. The winners of this award best exhibit these qualities in leadership, communication, goal achievement, decision making, performance management, team development, resource management, adaptability, and ethical conduct.

Regina Neequaye
The Leader Jackets Award is presented to staff supervisors who are a critical piece of the team in the Woodruff School as they hire and train new employees, provide guidance, and build the culture. The winners of this award best exhibit these qualities in leadership, communication, goal achievement, decision making, performance management, team development, resource management, adaptability, and ethical conduct.

Scott Elliott
The Outstanding Staff Leadership Award is presented to staff for leadership in support of research, teaching, or service. The recipients of this award have evidence of initiative, leadership, innovation, and high-quality results with respect to processes or programs that support research, teaching, or service, as attested by the appropriate supervisor(s) or administrator(s).

Stephen Fuller
The Outstanding Staff Leadership Award is presented to staff for leadership in support of research, teaching, or service. The recipients of this award have evidence of initiative, leadership, innovation, and high-quality results with respect to processes or programs that support research, teaching, or service, as attested by the appropriate supervisor(s) or administrator(s).

Kyle French
The Outstanding Student Support Award is presented to staff who go above and beyond to support students in extraordinary and unexpected ways. This could be either through sustained support of some kind or one-off extraordinary acts of service.

Jacob Blevins
The Professional Support Excellence Award is presented to staff who have suggested or created and implemented measurable new efficiencies or innovations related to the technical support of academic research or teaching programs, or who have significantly improved upon an existing technical support activity in a measurable way.

DeMarlo West
The Professional Support Excellence Award is presented to staff who have suggested or created and implemented measurable new efficiencies or innovations related to the technical support of academic research or teaching programs, or who have significantly improved upon an existing technical support activity in a measurable way.

Angela Hicks
The Solutions Award is presented to staff who have suggested or created and implemented new processes, resources, cultural improvements, or other contributions that lead to measurable improvements in the efficiency and/or effectiveness of School or Institute operations, student or staff lives, the functioning of the community as a whole, or research/teaching connections.

Courtney Sykes
The Solutions Award is presented to staff who have suggested or created and implemented new processes, resources, cultural improvements, or other contributions that lead to measurable improvements in the efficiency and/or effectiveness of School or Institute operations, student or staff lives, the functioning of the community as a whole, or research/teaching connections.

Michelle Graham
The Staff Excellence Award is presented to staff who demonstrate significant job performance in one or more areas of strategic focus, communication, teamwork, or decision making, demonstrating high levels of execution in their primary job duties, auxiliary roles, and citizenship — positively impacting the strategic goals of the School.

Ranjini Unnikrishnan
The Staff Excellence Award is presented to staff who demonstrate significant job performance in one or more areas of strategic focus, communication, teamwork, or decision making, demonstrating high levels of execution in their primary job duties, auxiliary roles, and citizenship — positively impacting the strategic goals of the School.

Joi Outlaw
The Staff of the Year Award is presented to staff who have made the most significant impact on the success and operations of the Woodruff School. Their activities enhance the quality of the Woodruff School’s programs through achievements such as increased productivity of staff, faculty, and/or students, reduced costs, or quicker response times for faculty, staff, and students, which are achievements beyond normal expectations for staff.

Ashley Ritchie
The Staff of the Year Award is presented to staff who have made the most significant impact on the success and operations of the Woodruff School. Their activities enhance the quality of the Woodruff School’s programs through achievements such as increased productivity of staff, faculty, and/or students, reduced costs, or quicker response times for faculty, staff, and students, which are achievements beyond normal expectations for staff.

In addition, Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair Devesh Ranjan awarded the Chair’s Appreciation Award to Jonathan S. Colton and Kyriaki Kalaitzidou.

Professor Jonathan S. Colton, who holds the Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. Professorship in Manufacturing, received the Chair's Appreciation Award.

Kyriaki Kalaitzidou, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Professor, received the Chair's Appreciation Award.