In a rare occurrence, Ohio University honored not one, but two professors with its Distinguished Professor Award on Monday: Judith Yaross Lee and Alexander Govorov.
Former OU President Roderick McDavis made the final selection and chose Lee, a professor for communication studies and a director of studies in the Honors Tutorial College, and Govorov, an associate professor and researcher in the physics department, as the 2016 recipients.
In the past, one professor has been awarded the honor each year, but there was an exception made for "two equally great candidates," David Descutner, interim president of OU, said. Because there were two recipients in 2016, the next Distinguished Professor Award will not be given until 2018.
The Distinguished Professor Award is given to professors who have "outstanding scholarly and creative accomplishments," who are tenured and who have worked at Ohio University for five years. The award is the "highest honor a faculty member can receive," according to the university's website.
Lee is the first woman from the Scripps College of Communication to receive the honor, Erin Roberts, director of communication for the Scripps College of Communication, said. Govorov has been at OU since 2002 when he was invited as an associate professor.
"He is rather unique in that he is a theoretical physicist working in condensed matter," David Ingram, chair of the departments of physics and astronomy, said about Govorov. "He collaborates with many people in looking at applications of work, so that’s where I think he really stands out."
Roberts came to the reception to support Lee when she was presented with her award and portrait.
"She’s got a lot of loyalty to the university and of course a lot invested in the university," Roberts said. "It’s nice to see her commended for her body of work."
Part of the honor the professors receive is the unveiling of a portrait that will be hung in the third floor of Alden Library.
The professors gave a lecture on a topic they have worked on. Lee lectured on the people who influenced Mark Twain while he wrote works such as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog." Govorov lectured on his research of trapping light particles and heat using nanocrystals, which are microscopic pieces of a crystalline material.
Lee encouraged her students to come and see the unveiling and hear her lecture, Hannah Graber, a freshman in the Honors Tutorial College studying communication studies, said. Graber said she found what Lee has done for the program to be amazing.
"She’s a brilliant woman," Graber said. "It is really amazing to have someone that close to me that has done so much for the School of Communication Studies."
Descutner commended the two faculty members for their scholarly work and contributions to their fields.
"These men and women here have done that in ways that are nationally and internationally recognized," Descutner said. "It moves me to be among them. I think these are the best people we have on the campus."
