Quinnipiac University Faculty Senate Names Faculty Scholars

Hamden, CT - Quinnipiac University's Faculty Senate recently honored its faculty scholars.

Receiving faculty scholar awards were: Iddrisu Awudu, associate professor of management and Muslim chaplain; Xi Chen, associate professor of sociology; Anne E. Durkin, professor emerita of nursing; Mary Phillips Ho, associate professor of mechanical engineering; and Anna-leila Williams, professor of medicine.

The award is given to faculty members who exhibit “a high level of commitment to producing outstanding scholarship or creative works.”

Awudu, a resident of North Haven, has been with Quinnipiac since 2014. His research centers on proffering optimization solutions to maximize profit, identify and hedge against risks and develop sustainability concepts and models in the biofuel (ethanol) supply chain industry."

“This award means that I am a good listener to my mentors at Quinnipiac,” he said. “It is also a reflection of the collaborative efforts I have enjoyed with colleagues on and off campus. I hope to connect my research results and insights in an experientially acceptable way to provide more learning opportunities in my classes.”

Chen, of Cheshire, has been with the university since 2007. Her research focuses on developing and managing the Yale G-Econ project and the utilization of satellite-based remote sensing data to investigate socioeconomic and demographic issues in regions of the world where no reliable data is available.

“It is exciting anytime that others recognize the promise of your research,” she said. “When it’s your closest colleagues, this makes it even more special.”

Wallingford’s Durkin has been associated with Quinnipiac for 20 years. The research for which she was honored focuses on nursing education. Most recently, Durkin led the development of a Program of Distinction in Nursing Research for Quinnipiac’s undergraduate nursing program.

“I am immensely grateful for this award,” she said. “I attribute this honor to the university’s unwavering support for faculty research and the encouragement I received over the years from my colleagues in the School of Nursing. I feel richly blessed to have been part of such a generous and collegial community.”

Ho, who lives in Glastonbury, has been a member of the university faculty since 2013.

“My current work focuses on developing protocols for tissue ablation with applications such as treating solid tumors,” she said. “To be able to work closely with our undergraduate students in this field of study is an honor in and of itself. I am grateful for the support and partnership I have found within the Quinnipiac community as well as the recognition granted by this award.”

Williams, of Hamden, leads the curriculum content in behavioral and social sciences, public health, social and structural determinants of health, and health humanities. She joined Quinnipiac in 2011.

“I am deeply honored to receive a Faculty Scholar Award for my book, ‘Integrating Health Humanities, Social Sciences, and Clinical Care: A Guide to Self-discovery, Compassion, and Well-being,’” she said. “To have my work recognized by my peers is an encouraging moment.”