BOCA RATON, FL (April 16, 2012) - Florida Atlantic University President Mary Jane Saunders and Provost Brenda J. Claiborne will host the University’s 43rd annual Honors Convocation today at 4 p.m.  The ceremony recognizes the University’s most outstanding students and faculty (a full list of honorees is below).  The event will take place at the University Theater, in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, on FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road.

Awards and recognition include eight University scholars, the Distinguished Student award, the University Club Merit award, the Phi Kappa Phi scholar, the Stan and Renee Wimberly scholar, the Student-Athletes of the Year award, and the Fraternity and Sorority scholars. Additionally, the FAU Board of Trustees Service Award will be awarded to a community member who has a record of rendering volunteer service to the University.

Faculty honors include the FAU National Alumni Association’s Degree of Difference Award, University Researchers and Scholars of the Year awards, and the University Teaching and Advising awards. The winner of the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award, which is determined by FAU students, will present the keynote speech. The year’s recipient is Dr. Deborah Louda of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.

“This will be my first year participating in FAU’s Honors Convocation,” said Claiborne. “This ceremony gives us the opportunity to share with the community all of the scholarship of our students and faculty members who are seeking to broaden and deepen their knowledge fields.”

For more information about the Honors Convocation, call 561-297-0884.

2012 Florida Atlantic University Honors Convocation Awardees

University Scholars
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters         Daniela Lunetto
College of Business                                                     Jimmy Roberts
College for Design and Social Inquiry                        Polly Daugherty
College of Education                                                   Jessica Cravens
College of Engineering and Computer Science          Jerry Bowen
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College                               Rachel Blythe
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing                         Ronald Ives
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                       Adam Chen

Distinguished Student Award
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College                               Megan Allore

Fraternity and Sorority Scholars
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.                                  Enoch Claude
Alpha Xi Delta Sorority                                               Katie E. Gootenberg

Phi Kappa Phi Scholar
College of Engineering and Computer Science          David Hartmann

Student-Athletes of the Year
Women's Track and Field/Cross Country                   Rebecca Hallam
Football                                                                       Alfred Morris

University Club Merit Award
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                       Edith Nagy

Stan and Renee Wimberly Scholar
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters         Christopher Ohanian

Alumni "Degree of Difference" Award
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                       Janet Blanks

FAU Board of Trustees Service Award
College of Business                                                    Steven Sponder

University Researchers of the Year

John Lowe, Professor
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

Pierre-Phillipe Beaujean, Associate Professor
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Esther Guzmán, Assistant Professor
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

University Scholars of the Year

Jane Caputi, Professor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Paul Peluso, Associate Professor
College of Education

Ilaria Serra, Assistant Professor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching
Amy Broderick, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Stephen Engle, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Sunil Babbar, College of Business
Eric Levy, College of Business
Bruce Arneklev, College for Design and Social Inquiry
Nicholas Quintyne, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Cynthia Archibald, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
LisaMarie Wands, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Advising
Mary Ann Gosser Esquilín, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Lofton Bullard, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Terje Hoim, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

The Distinguished Teacher of the Year
Deborah Louda, Associate Professor of Clinical Science and Medical Education *
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
* bio below 

Dr. Deborah Louda
Associate Professor of Clinical Science and Medical Education
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
Education

• B.S., Chemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL. 1973
• Ph.D., Biochemistry ,University of Miami, Miami, FL. 1978
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Miami, Miami, FL. 1978-80

Research Interests

• Chemical education
• Applying learning theory to college and high school classes
• Developing and implementing effective teaching pedagogies
• Developing and adapting curricular materials for improved student understanding

Professional Background

• Associate Professor of Clinical Science and Medical Education, Florida Atlantic University, 2010 - present
• Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, 1988-2009
• Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, 1982-1988
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University,1981-1982
• Research Associate, University of Miami, 1980-1981

Books Published

• OrgoBONDing Activities for Organic Chemistry, D.W. Louda, J.E. Haky, E.M. Rezler, Hayden NcNeil, 2009.
• Biomolecules: Organic Compounds with a Purpose in Life, D.W. Louda, Hayden-McNeil, 2008.
• BONDing Activities for General Chemistry, J.E. Haky, D.W. Louda, C.E. Carraher, D. Huchital, N. Romance, Hayden McNeil, 2008.

Professional Awards

• Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Distinguished Teacher of the Year, Florida Atlantic University, 2008
• Teacher Incentive Program Award, Florida Atlantic University,1993, 2000
• Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, Florida Atlantic University, 1988, 1990, 1998