2007 President and Provost's Award for Distinguished Faculty Service

Faculty members are recognized for their contributions to the development and implementation of university policies and programs through non-administrative roles, while continuing to teach and pursue scholarship.
Terry A. Miller profile picture

Terry A. Miller

Ohio Eminent Scholar in Experimental Physical Chemistry
Department of Chemistry

 


A world-class scholar himself, Terry A. Miller has made it his service mission to raise the university to greater heights. He currently heads the Chemical Physics Graduate Program, which brings the world’s leading scientists to lecture on campus; and he founded the Spectroscopy Institute, which crosses departments to encourage cooperation in spectroscopy. Miller is chair of the Ohio State International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, which was founded in 1946. The symposium has energized the campus with some of the world’s brightest minds, including several Nobel Laureates. Miller also has helped shape the leadership at The Ohio State University by serving on the search committees for chair of the Department of Chemistry, dean of the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and dean of the College of Engineering. He has twice chaired searches for vice president for research and has recently served on the provost and president search committees. In addition, Miller is an active participant of the President’s and Provost’s Advisory Committee. As one colleague notes, “Terry’s high standards and his compelling salesmanship were key in landing some outstanding individuals in leadership roles at Ohio State.” Miller also helped many of his former graduate students become current faculty members and works tirelessly to help faculty develop strong research proposals. His standing as a national and international scientist has helped raise Ohio State’s credibility and visibility. Miller received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1968.

Gregory Travalio profile picture

Gregory Travalio

Lawrence D. Stanley Professor in Law
Moritz College of Law

 


When called to serve, Greg Travalio has rarely said no during his 28 years as a faculty member at Ohio State, supplying his energy, intellect and judgment in myriad roles. In fact, just one year before he retires, Travalio accepted re-election as chair of the Senate Fiscal Committee. His leadership throughout the years on various Faculty Senate committees has led to positive and constructive outcomes on the University Rules Committee, University Legislative Affairs Committee, University Golf Course Greens Committee and University Fiscal Committee. The president appointed Travalio to the University Special Committee on “Where Tenure Resides” during the 1987-88 academic year, and he served as vice chair of the University Athletic Council from 1989-90 after many years as a member. Travalio’s commitment to service began as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army from 1970-71, and he is currently a colonel in the Army Reserve’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Colleagues know him as a strong leader with a selfless outlook and an ability to bring consensus on difficult issues. Travalio received his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1975 and joined Ohio State in 1978.

Susan S. Williams profile picture

Susan S. Williams

Professor
Department of English

 


Susan Williams is hailed for her leadership in helping to secure the Graduate School’s new dean. In addition, during the past four years she has been engaged in various committees that helped restructure its budget and revamp its operations and authored many of its new policies and standards. Other service contributions include serving as director of graduate studies in the English department, serving on several committees for the Office of Academic Affairs that worked on budget restructuring, completing a three-year term on the College of Humanities Research Committee and becoming part of the inaugural class of the President’s and Provost’s Leadership Institute. She is deeply committed to teaching excellence and won the Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award in 2005 and, for the past two years, has served on its selection committee. She was also named Graduate Teacher of the Year. Williams received her Ph.D. in English from Yale University in 1991 and joined Ohio State that same year.

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