Established in memory of Professor Michael J. Brody, president of the Faculty Senate from 1986 to 1987, this award recognizes outstanding faculty who have made exceptional contributions to the university and the community. This year’s recipients were announced at the March 2025 UI Faculty Senate meeting and each will receive $1,000 and a commemorative piece of artwork designed by a graduate student in the UI School of Art, Art History, and Design.

David Cwiertny

David Cwiertny is the William D. Ashton Professor of Civil Engineering and director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination. Since joining the university in 2011, he has led several public health initiatives to improve the quality of Iowa’s drinking water—including the Iowa Get the Lead Out water-testing program and the development of public data platforms like Iowa Trust Your Tap and the Iowa Well Forecasting System. Cwiertny serves as director of graduate studies in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the director of the interdisciplinary Master of Science in Sustainable Development program. He holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Chemistry.

Steve Duck

Steve Duck, the Daniel and Amy Starch Distinguished Research Chair and professor of rhetoric in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,  joined the university in 1986. He has served in a number of leadership roles during his 38-year career, including DEO of the Department of Rhetoric from 2010-2022. In addition to his dedication to teaching and mentorship of both students and faculty, Duck is a long-time member of many national and international professional associations. In 2021, Duck was honored with the National Communication Association Presidential Citation for his dedication and service to the association. 
 

Travis Kraus

Travis Kraus, associate professor of practice in the School of Planning and Public Affairs and director of the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC), joined the university in 2016. Prior to becoming a faculty member at Iowa in 2020, he served as assistant director and program coordinator at IISC, supporting over 300 community engagement projects across the state of Iowa. As an educator, Kraus facilitates course-based engagement projects that connect Iowa students with small communities across the state to work on quality-of-life improvement projects.