KU honors top scholars with 2024 University Research Awards

Twelve stellar researchers received recognition April 11 during the annual University Research Awards celebration hosted by Chancellor Doug Girod.

View videos about each 2024 University Research Award recipient.

The honorees are:

University Scholarly Achievement Awards

• Andrew Denning, associate professor of history
• Huazhen Fang, associate professor of mechanical engineering
• Lauren Ptomey, associate professor of physical activity & weight management
• Armin Schulz, professor of philosophy

Chancellors Club Research Award

• John Thyfault, professor of cellular biology & physiology and endocrinology, diabetes & clinical pharmacology

Research Postdoctoral Achievement Award

• Georgios Konstantinos Krintiras, postdoctoral researcher, physics & astronomy

Research Staff Achievement Award

• Pegah Naemi Jimenez, research associate, School of Social Welfare

Steven F. Warren Research Achievement Award

• Tyler Hicks, assistant research professor, KU Center on Developmental Disabilities

Higuchi-KU Endowment Research Achievement Awards

• John Colombo, professor of psychology, Balfour Jeffrey Award for Humanities & Social Sciences
• Wen-Xing Ding, William Warner Abercrombie Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, Olin K. Petefish Award in the Basic Sciences
• Jie Han, Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, Irvin E. Youngberg Award in the Applied Sciences
• David C. Poole, University Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and Physiology at Kansas State University, Dolph C. Simons Sr. Award in the Biomedical Sciences