In 2025, the External Awards and Recognition Office (EARO) broadened national engagement, supported a record number of high-impact nominations, and strengthened strategic partnerships to elevate faculty recognition across campus.
Through tailored advising, collaborative initiatives, and purposeful outreach, the office advanced nominations to prestigious academies, increased participation in national service opportunities, and celebrated notable award recipients whose work enhances the university’s national profile.
Highlights and Accomplishments
EARO's efforts this past year increased engagement across campus, with colleges and departments now reaching out proactively to pursue opportunities that elevate faculty recognition. In 2025, EARO directly supported 39 nominations for 12 different awards. University of Iowa faculty were honored with five national honors included on the National Research Council's Highly Prestigious Awards list.
Welsh earns 2025 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award
Michael Welsh, professor of internal medicine in the Carver College of Medicine, won the 2025 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for his fundamental research on cystic fibrosis, which paved the way for transformative therapies. Often referred to as “America’s Nobel Prize,” the Lasker-Debakey Award honors major contributions to the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of human disease and is among the nation’s highest biomedical research honors.
Stone elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Edwin Stone, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences in the Carver College of Medicine, and director of the Institute for Vision Research at the UI, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine for his transformative work impacting the treatment of blinding eye diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Perlman elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Stanley Perlman, UI Distinguished Chair and professor in the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors in science. Perlman is one of the world’s leading experts on coronaviruses, with his work helping lay the scientific foundation for the global response to COVID-19.
Dedeaux-Norris wins prestigious NEH Fellowship
T.J. Dedeaux- Norris, associate professor in the School of Art, Art History, and Design, was one of 35 recipients of the 2025–26 Rome Prize. Awarded by the American Academy in Rome, the Rome Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious fellowships in the humanities, supporting innovative artists and scholars with time and resources to advance their work.
Washburn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Kevin Washburn, dean emeritus and professor of law emeritus in the UI College of Law, was elected to the 2025 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The academy elected nearly 250 new members from across academia, the arts, industry, policy, research, and science. Washburn was among eight members recognized for work in law.
3
2
3
Engaging with the National Academies
Over the past year, EARO focused on strengthening existing collaborations, forging new partnerships, and expanding its scope of work and expertise in relation to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. These efforts included submitting nominations in response to calls for experts and early- to mid-career awards, encouraging current UI NASEM members to serve on nomination review committees, hosting campus visits with current members, and ensuring representation at national meetings such as the Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine Forum.
14 faculty nominations for service opportunities with the National Academies in 2025
- Alexander Bassuk, professor and chair in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics in the Carver College of Medicine, was selected for the NIH-funded Committee on Strategies to Enhance Pediatric Health Research.
2
This new program for mid-career faculty aims to expand expertise in the advisory functions of the National Academies while building a network of emerging US leaders to address national and global challenges.
7
- Sato Ashida, professor of community and behavioral health, College of Public Health
- Nai-Ching (Allison) Chi, associate professor of nursing, College of Nursing
- Sarah Nash, assistant professor of epidemiology, College of Public Health
- Susan Shen, assistant professor of psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
- Nick Trapp, assistant professor of psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
- Michelle Voss, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Jan Wessel, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and associate professor of neurology, Carver College of Medicine
Also in attendance was forum panel speaker Natoshia Askelson, professor of community and behavioral health, College of Public Health.
"The ELHM was a unique opportunity to connect with clinicians and researchers across disciplines and discuss challenging topics in medicine. The experience motivated me to think about the broader societal impacts of my research and clinical work.”
A Culture of Excellence
Through strategic outreach, events, and development initiatives, EARO is helping establish a culture that rewards faculty excellence and encourages scholars to get involved and share their expertise on a national level.
EARO Recap
Pathway Awards and Opportunities
Pathway opportunities are essential for building faculty profiles and improving their chances of election to highly prestigious honors. These include early- and mid-career awards, and other programs geared towards national exposure and relationship building.
Three faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kaveh Akbar, associate professor and director of the English and Creative Writing major; Jamel Brinkley, associate professor in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; and Charles D’Ambrosio, professor in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, were recognized with 2025 Awards in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Susan Shen, assistant professor of psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, earned the UI’s first Avenir Award in Genetics and Epigenetics of Substance Use. She is the first female psychiatrist to receive this highly competitive honor. She also received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, underscoring the impact of her research trajectory.
Kyle Flippo, assistant professor of internal medicine, Carver College of Medicine, received the Brain and Behavioral Research Young Investigator Award for the second time. The two-year grant aims to help promising young scientists launch careers in neuroscience and psychiatry.
Anna Stanhewicz, associate professor of health, sport, and human physiology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, received the 2026 American Physiological Society Henry Pickering Bowditch Award, recognizing exceptional early-career achievement in physiology.
Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz, associate professor in the School of Planning and Public Affairs, Graduate College, received a $1.1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to lead two projects partnering with Native Nations that will return historical Indian boarding school records to survivors and support tribal land-reclamation planning.
Outreach and Engagement
In partnership with the OVPR and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, EARO organized a faculty-led panel on pursuing Guggenheim Fellowships and other major humanities honors.
Engaged in regular meetings with collegiate partners to review honorific award opportunities, exchange data, and identify faculty well-positioned for future nomination pathways.
Piloted in 2025, the Leaders in Discovery series brings national recipients of highly prestigious honors, such as NASEM members, to campus to share their expertise, elevate scholarly dialogue, and deepen connections with faculty working in related research areas
Sponsored 60 memberships for American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows (AAAS), broadening the pool of eligible candidates and strengthening future nomination prospects for the prestigious AAAS Fellow award.
Provided tailored one‑on‑one and small‑group training, along with toolkits designed to support collegiate staff in advancing award efforts.
Continued to support nomination efforts by drafting quality materials for specific opportunities.
Recognition
Co-hosted a special Book Matters event with the OVPR, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Prairie Lights Books to honor Jamel Brinkley, associate professor in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where he was recognized for his 2022 Rome Prize and 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship.
Celebrated recipients of non-highly prestigious awards through unique engagement opportunities.
Recognized highly prestigious award recipients at the annual Spring UI Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony.
Take the Next Step
Learn more about the External Awards and Recognition Office and ask how we can support your goals.