Announcing winners of the Faculty Awards and Service Excellence Awards

May 10, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the recipients of NYUAD’s 2021-2022 Faculty Awards and the Service Excellence Awards for staff. These awards showcase the commitment to excellence embodied by our faculty and staff. We are delighted that this year’s awardees build on a tradition of celebrating those who go above and beyond in their work at NYUAD. We invite the entire community to join us in congratulating the winners and celebrating them at awards ceremonies on May 23, 2022.

NYUAD Service Excellence Awards

The NYUAD Service Excellence Awards recognize and celebrate NYUAD administrative, academic, and research staff who demonstrate core institutional values at an exceptional level in the performance of their roles. The members of the Service Excellence Awards Committee thoughtfully evaluated the nominees based on the following criteria: integrity, respect, customer focus, teamwork, adaptability, diversity, and inclusion. Those who hold managerial positions were also evaluated on mentoring, modeling, and motivating. This year’s winners are:

  • Thaddeus Stegall, Instructor of Music, Division of Arts and Humanities
  • Emma Lee Baker, Assistant Manager, Administration, Division of Science
  • Ashique Rafi, Program Manager, Graduate Career Advising and Postdoctoral Professional Development, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program and NYUAD Summer Academy
  • Liria Gjidija, Head of Social Responsibility Initiatives and Global Outreach, Office of Global Education and Outreach
  • Jasmin Ramos, Senior Benefits Specialist, Office of Human Resources
  • Haidee Paterson, Research Instrumentation Specialist 1 - MRI, Office of Research

Attend the Service Excellence Awards ceremony for staff on Monday, May 23, 11am-12:15pm GST on Zoom or in the Conference Center (A6), room 007. Find out more on the faculty and staff intranet and student portal.

NYUAD Faculty Awards

The NYUAD Faculty Awards are bestowed on NYUAD standing faculty who embody the values and mission of the University. The work of award recipients truly exemplifies the central pillars of faculty engagement in research, teaching, and service. The recipients were evaluated with great care by the Award Review Committee and selected by the NYUAD leadership for their transformative research, teaching excellence, and distinguished service.

Transformative Research Award

  • John Burt, Associate Professor of Biology, Division of Science
  • Alexis Gambis, Assistant Professor of Film and New Media and Biology, Division of Arts and Humanities and Division of Science

Award for Teaching Excellence

  • Khulood Kittaneh, Arabic Language Lecturer, Division of Arts and Humanities
  • Kinga Makovi, Assistant Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, Division of Social Science

Distinguished Service Award

  • Youssef Idaghdour, Assistant Professor of Biology, Division of Science
  • Mohammad Qasaimeh, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Division of Engineering

Attend the Faculty Awards ceremony on Monday, May 23, at 2:30-4:45pm GST on Zoom or in the Conference Center (A6), room 007. Find out more on the faculty and staff intranet and student portal.

As we celebrate the winners, we also applaud all those who were nominated for these awards and those who nominated their colleagues, professors, and mentors. This is a fitting recognition of the profound and dedicated excellence of our faculty and staff who elevate our community and advance our mission.

With regards,

Mariët, Arlie, Natasha, and Kirsten