William “Bus” Jaco was selected as the 2017 Eminent Faculty Award winner at the Oklahoma State University Awards Convocation on Dec. 6 at the OSU ConocoPhillips Alumni Center. The award recognizes the highest level of scholarly achievement at OSU. Jaco is a Regents professor and head of the department of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Jaco is a national expert in improving student success in entry-level math courses, and he is leading initiatives to help mathematician’s instruction throughout the state. 

At OSU, Jaco has developed a new Learning Success Center and has led an 11 percent decline in dropped, failed or withdrawn math classes. He is also a fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Chris Francisco, professor and associate department head of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was also honored at the convocation as one of ten faculty selected for the national Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award sponsored by the National Resource Center for First-year Experience and Students in transition. 

Other CAS faculty and staff were honored at the convocation:

Leave the Ladder Down Award:

Keely James, associate director of Student Academic Services in the College of Arts and Sciences 

Regents Distinguished Research Award

Flera Rizatdinova, Physics, College of Arts and Sciences

Mark Sisson, Art, Graphic Design and Art History, College of Arts and Sciences

Regents Distinguished Teaching Award

Ryan Gardner, Music, College of Arts and Sciences

Andrew Wadoski, English College of Arts and Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences

Tamara Mix, Laurence L. & Georgia Ina Dresser Professor in Rural Sociology

Lee Brasuell, Mary Lou Lemon Endowed Professorship for Underrepresented Voices

Donald French, Edward E. Bartlett Professorship of Pedagogy in Integrative Biology

Newly Appointed Regents Professors

Tyrrell Conway, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Arts and Sciences

Duane Gill, Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences

Advising Excellence Award 

Erika Lutter, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Arts and Sciences

Lisa Mantini, Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences

Mohamed Abdel Salam, Geology, College of Arts and Sciences – Graduate College, Outstanding Program Coordinator