At East Tennessee State University's annual Faculty Convocation, three faculty members were recognized with the university's 2026 Distinguished Faculty Awards for excellence in teaching, research and service. The Distinguished Faculty Awards are the highest honors bestowed upon ETSU faculty.
Each honoree receives a one-of-a-kind, hand-blown glass piece and a $7,500 honorarium provided by the ETSU Foundation.
"These distinguished faculty members embody the very best of ETSU," said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. "Through exceptional teaching, impactful research and selfless service, they enrich the lives of our students, strengthen our university and make meaningful contributions to the communities we serve."
The Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching was presented to Dr. Laura Robertson, professor of science education in the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development.
Robertson was recognized for her innovative teaching, meaningful mentorship and commitment to preparing the next generation of educators through hands-on, community-engaged learning.
Among her many initiatives are partnerships with Hands On! Discovery Center and regional elementary schools that provide preservice teachers with authentic classroom experiences while creating educational resources for teachers throughout the region.
"Working with Hands On! means that our students design and build educational materials that Hands On! can share with other teachers in the area," Robertson said. "It makes their assignments meaningful because it brings them into the profession."
In her nomination, colleagues praised Robertson for her "consistently superior teaching" and her ability to make complex scientific concepts engaging, accessible and relevant through innovative instructional practices.
The Distinguished Faculty Award in Research was presented to Dr. Gerardo Arceo-Gómez, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biological Sciences.
Since joining ETSU in 2016, Arceo-Gómez has published more than 65 peer-reviewed articles examining plant-pollinator interactions and how those relationships influence biodiversity, ecosystem health and food production.
"(Arceo-Gómez's) research is widely regarded as innovative and field-shaping," wrote one nominator. Another praised not only the quantity of his scholarship, but its "conceptual depth and originality."
Approximately 80% of the world's food crops depend on pollinators, making healthy pollinator populations essential to agriculture and global food security.
"The pollination process is very important for our society," Arceo-Gómez said. "Trying to understand and minimize the impacts of disturbances on this key ecosystem service has become a very important component of this research field."
Beyond his research accomplishments, Arceo-Gómez has mentored more than 40 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, helping prepare the next generation of ecologists and researchers.
The Distinguished Faculty Award in Service was presented to Dr. Lori Meier, professor in the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development's Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Meier was recognized for nearly two decades of service that has strengthened ETSU, its students and the broader community through graduate education, faculty development and STEM outreach.
"Dr. Meier has demonstrated a sustained commitment to service distinguished by consistency, depth and meaningful impact across the department, college, university, profession and broader community," wrote Dr. Janna Scarborough, dean of the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development. "She has embraced service as a core responsibility of academic life, one inseparable from teaching and mentorship."
As graduate program coordinator, Meier has advised more than 210 graduate students, led the transformation of the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction program and established the department's annual Hooding Ceremony to celebrate graduates.
Beyond campus, Meier has served since 2018 as a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, presenting educational programs through schools, libraries and community events that inspire learners of all ages to explore science and space.
"Service is in the DNA of this campus community," Meier said. "To be recognized in this moment is one where I feel immense gratitude."
