KU Kudos: Faculty and staff achievements, August 2025
LAWRENCE — It’s time to celebrate Jayhawk colleagues’ achievements: KU News Service accepted submissions and combed websites, social media and newsletters for recent external honors and awards for current faculty and staff at the Lawrence, Edwards and Medical Center campuses and affiliates.
KU Kudos is published 6-7 times a year. Have something to share? Submit by Sept. 17 for the next edition. Self-nominations are encouraged. Learn more about how to submit your professional achievements.
Abiodun Akinwuntan, dean of the School of Health Professions, and Hannes Devos, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science & Athletic Training, were invited to serve on the Lancet Neurology Commission on Neurorehabilitation. The group aims to reduce deaths and disabilities and improve the well-being of people with neurological conditions.
Sharon Brett, associate professor of law, was recognized by the Kansas Bar Association as part of its “Women in Law” exhibit at the annual meeting in June. The exhibit recognizes exceptional women who have made a lasting impact in the field of law, whether through groundbreaking achievements, mentorship, advocacy or judicial excellence.
Dave Burnett, associate dean for community engagement and workforce initiatives in the School of Health Professions, presented on increasing access to chronic respiratory disease management in rural areas at a grantee meeting of the Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network in Rockville, Maryland. The audience included leadership of the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Brandon Draper, associate professor of the practice in jazz, is now a member of the Memphis chapter of the Recording Academy. The Recording Academy is the leading community of music professionals and bestows the Grammy Awards.
Andrew Eisch, assistant athletics director, and Doug Self, associate communications director, along with former communications graduate assistant Max Aebersold at Kansas Athletics took first place for their Kansas Football notes in the University Division of the College Sports Communicators 2024-25 Creative & Digital Design Contest.
Bethany Forseth, assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science & Athletic Training, and Amy Bodde, research assistant professor in the Department of Physical Activity & Weight Management, recently presented "From Stress to Solutions: Science for Caregivers and Families" at Brews and Breakthroughs, an event hosted by Missouri Cures.
Andrew Fry, professor of health, sport & exercise science and outgoing director of the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory, gave the keynote at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s National Conference, which took place in July in Kansas City, Missouri. KU faculty and staff giving lectures or poster presentations included Fry, Dimitrije Cabarkapa (JAPL), Quincy Johnson (HSES and JAPL), Yu Song (HSES/Biomechanics Laboratory) and Luke Bradford (Kansas Athletics).
Tina Garetson, health career promotions program manager for the KU Area Health Education Center, has received the Carl Perkins Community Service Award from the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education. The annual award is given to outstanding individuals who have contributed to CTE’s positive impact on communities and the lives of individuals.
Melissa Greene-Blye, assistant professor of journalism, has been elected to the board of IndiJ Public Media, the parent company of ICT, formerly Indian Country Today. ICT has been serving the Native American community with news and information since 1981.
Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, professor of music therapy, will moderate an online panel discussing the recently validated reporting guidelines for music-based interventions. The event, which will take place at 11 a.m. Aug. 29, is co-hosted by Indiana University and the Walther Cancer Foundation.
Ashley Herda, associate professor of health, sport & exercise science, delivered a poster presentation, "Evaluation of Changes to Resting Metabolic Rate and Body Composition Following Orthopedic Surgery," at the Female Athlete Conference, which took place in June in Boston.
Huijeong Kim, assistant professor of civil, environmental & architectural engineering, and her contributors received a Best Paper Award at the 2025 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Annual Conference.
Laura Klenke-Borgmann, director of simulation education and clinical associate professor in the School of Nursing, received the Spirit of Simulation Leadership Excellence Award by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.
Robin Kundis Craig, Robert A. Schroeder Distinguished Professor of Law, and Uma Outka, William R. Scott Law Professor, were invited to speak at the 71st Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute in Whistler, B.C., in July. Outka presented in the Environmental Law Section on “Federalism and the Expanding Role of States in Controlling Greenhouse Gases and Other Air Emissions.” Craig spoke in the Water Law Section on “Developing the Nation's Other Water Resource: Saltwater Facilities and Critical Mineral Operations Meet Marine Critters.”
Christopher McCracken, associate dean for administration at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, will be honored Aug. 14 by the Wichita Business Journal as one of the 2025 Executives of the Year. The awards honor leaders who have been accomplishing great things and taking their companies to new levels.
Amy McNair, professor of the history of art, was invited to give a workshop at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in June.
David Slusky, professor of economics and executive director of American Society of Health Economists, was an organizer of the ASHE 2025 conference in Nashville in June 2025. Three of his students were invited to present their papers.
Nancy Stewart, assistant professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, received the Alison Clay Early Career Educator Award from the American Thoracic Society. She has helped the society grow its presence across social media platforms and held leadership positions within the organization.
Shannon Stewart, assistant professor of dance, was one of five artists selected for the two-week Atland Residency in western Massachusetts, where she led a dance composition workshop and created a new dance film installation.
Leah Terranova, associate dean for academic & student affairs at the School of Law, was honored with the Innovation and Impact Award at the National Association of Law Student Affairs Professionals (NALSAP) Annual Conference at The Ohio State University in June. This award recognized Terranova's exceptional abilities in creating innovate programs that have a positive impact on the law student experience, maximize resources and encourage others to think of alternative ways to support students.
Bobbi Washechek, assistant director of Union Programs, was elected chair of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System. Founded in 1940, the organization supports college and high school media outlets and organizations.
Judy Watts, assistant professor of journalism, presented research June 5-6 at the International Society for the Empirical Study of Literature conference in Austin, Texas, and at the International Communication Association conference June 15 in Denver.
Ash Wilson, director of intakes and outreach and deputy Title IX investigator for the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, has been honored with the Title IX Partnership Award from the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals. The Title IX Partnership Award recognizes Wilson’s contributions to the development of KU’s Clery Act compliance program.
Stephen Wolgast, Knight Chair for Audience and Community Engagement in News, spoke about safety for journalists at the Kansas Press Association convention in Salina on June 6. His presentation was titled “Protecting Our Work and How We Do It.”
Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science and associate director of the Center for East Asian Studies, and political science graduate students represented KU at the 2025 Pacific International Politics Conference hosted by Waseda University in Tokyo. Zhang spoke on a panel about the international political economy.
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Nancy Brady, Life Span Institute investigator, received the 2025 Honors of the Association from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, its highest recognition.
Nick Carswell, program manager for Kansas Audio-Reader, and Colin Halliburton, administrative assistant at Audio Reader, produced a combined three programs that won awards at the annual International Association of Audio Information Services conference, which took place June 13 in Lawrence.
A scholarly article by Alex Platt, Earl B. Shurtz Research Professor of Law, was named to the prestigious Corporate Practice Commentator’s Top 10 Corporate and Securities Articles of 2024, one of the highest honors in the field of corporate and securities law.
Aaron Teator, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas, was chosen for a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation.
Kristine Williams, professor in the School of Nursing, was one of 15 honorees inducted by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing into its hall of fame for 2025.