Buffalo State Faculty and Staff Members Recognized for Efforts

Thirteen Buffalo State faculty and staff members will be recognized with President’s and Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence and a SUNY Distinguished Faculty rank for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of the university, the State University of New York, and the greater community during the Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, October 12, at 12:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.

The ceremony also recognizes the significant awards and major grants of faculty and staff members and welcomes all new employees to campus. The entire campus community is invited to participate in this 12th annual event.

SUNY DISTINGUISHED FACULTY RANKS
SUNY distinguished faculty ranks recognize consummate professionalism, groundbreaking scholarship, exceptional instruction, and the breadth and significance of service contributions. Appointments constitute a promotion to the State University’s highest academic rank and are conferred solely by the State University Board of Trustees.

SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
Aimable Twagilimana, Ph.D.

Aimable Twagilimana, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of English, has completed more than 26 years of service at Buffalo State, and his contributions to scholarship, teaching, and service to the university, community, and profession are distinguished and remarkable. He received his Ph.D. in English (specializing in African American literature) from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1995, completing his doctoral studies in only three years. His tenure-track teaching career began in September 1995 at Buffalo State as an assistant professor. In 2000, he was granted early tenure and promotion to associate professor because of his outstanding performance in teaching, scholarship, and service. In only four years, he was promoted to full professor.

A distinguished scholar, Twagilimana has won the competitive and prestigious Fulbright scholarship a record four times (including one Fulbright Specialist award) during his tenure at Buffalo State. He has published seven books; 10 chapters in edited books; 15 entries in reference books or encyclopedias; 10 non-refereed articles; four applied research reports; and 63 local, national, or international presentations. He has also given five keynote addresses. His works in progress include a book under contract with Rowman and Littlefield for a third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Rwanda, a reference book that has benefited organizations across multiple agencies in the United States and other countries, and the book The Poetics of Liberation: Narrative and Rhetorical Paradigms in African American Literature.

His novel, Manifold Annihilation (1996), is often cited as the first novel in English exploring the factors that led to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and has received extensive critical attention. Scholarly articles and references in multiple publications and reputable journals have highlighted the importance of this novel in understanding the events leading to the tragedy of 1994 in Rwanda. His book of literary criticism, Race and Gender in the Making of an African American Literary Tradition (Routledge, 1997), was reviewed at least twice and has been featured as a reference in many scholarly publications, doctoral dissertations, and master’s theses across the globe. This book enhances his own teaching of African American literature (both undergraduate and graduate courses), world literature, and the literature of continental Europe.

Twagilimana’s expertise is recognized nationally and internationally. He has been a member of the National Language Service Corps as a French-English linguist since 2011. From 2009 to 2011, he served as an invited member of the West, Central, and Southern Africa Peer Review Committee of the U.S. Scholar Fulbright Program, and from 2019 to 2022, he served on the screening committee of the U.S. Student Fulbright Program. In 2004–2005, he was selected as a proposal reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Comprehensive Program grants. His extensive CV reflects the vast extent of his service on com­mittees, boards of director, and task forces. His service record shows his commitment to Buffalo State students, his department, and the campus community as well as his national and international engagement. His international activities in Senegal and especially in Rwanda are particularly significant, as they have truly transformed the lives of hundreds of individuals, who are now also transforming the lives of others. His presence at Buffalo State has substantially contributed to diversity in his department course offerings and to the transformation of his Buffalo State students, as well as students and faculty members at other institutions in the United States and abroad.

Nominator: Amitra A. Wall, Ph.D., Associate Provost, Academic Affairs

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARDS

SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence provide systemwide recognition of consistently superior professional achievement. These awards underscore SUNY’s commitment to sustaining intellectual vibrancy, advancing the boundaries of knowledge, providing the highest quality of instruction, and serving the public good.

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service
Luanne M. Jarosz

Luanne Jarosz, supervising housekeeper of Custodial Services, is dedicated to her craft. Responsible for a staff of more than 20 members, including a weekend crew in the residence halls, she handles any situation extremely well, never complaining about low staffing or last-minute requests. She digs in and establishes a solution with whatever resources are available, even providing coverage herself when a co-worker is off. She does not shy away from the opportunity to learn something new or make a change to an existing process or procedure. She is exceptionally knowledgeable in the custodial trade as it pertains to equipment, products, procedures, and more. She has been known to makes repairs to damaged equipment herself.

Jarosz is reliable and consistent in her work, which has been evident throughout her career at Buffalo State. She maintains an excellent attendance record, always sets a good example, and is professional, kind, supportive, and hardworking. She truly cares about the experience the students have on campus and how her role affects that experience. She asks questions to find out what the students need in order to feel comfortable and safe in the residence halls. She is also very conscious of her subordinates’ needs and considers all factors carefully before taking any action.

She can communicate effectively with the campus community and is able to find ways to resolve issues. Drawing on her previous experience working in the President’s Residence and in academic custodial, she understands what is needed across the entire campus and will volunteer to help with any concern in custodial or beyond. She uses her experiences and all that she has learned to continually improve Residence Life custodial.

Throughout the pandemic, Jarosz maintained her perfect attendance record, led and trained her team effectively regarding new requirements for disinfection, and demonstrated a tremendous amount of care for the campus community when dealing with COVID. She also ensured that her direct reports were social distancing and never put in positions that could compromise their health. Furthermore, she routinely assisted the campus’s Emergency Response Team when it had to handle calls to treat rooms in the residence halls. When each task was completed, she documented the response and filed reports with the Facilities Office. Similarly, during the historic snowstorm of 2022–2023, Jarosz was stranded on campus for five days. During that time, she handled all manners of emergency in the residence halls, attended to Sports Arena and Upton Hall flooding issues, helped people who were stuck, made sure others were fed and warm, and much more. She was recognized by the New York State governor for these efforts.

Nominator: Scott M. Kent, A.S., Manager, Custodial Services

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching
James M. Maloney, M.A.

James Maloney, lecturer of exceptional education, has been an invaluable member of the Exceptional Education Department since his arrival in 1998. He has taught more than a dozen different courses; no course is too great or too small. Given his long and decorated career in the Western New York education community as a teacher and school administrator, he brings to the classroom a wealth of experience working with children, families, and teachers. Students consistently praise him for his expertise, for his practicality, and for teaching them real-life strategies to apply in P–12 classroom settings. More than 20 years of teaching evaluations document his outstanding performance every semester, without exception.

Maloney shines in the classroom. He is a popular though rigorous instructor who knows how theory looks in practice. Highly invested in the production of blue-ribbon teachers, he knows the exacting standards of the profession from the inside out. Student evaluations note this integrity in their praise of him. As a special educator himself, Maloney practices his teaching craft with his students as assiduously and carefully as he did with the children in his care in the Maryvale School District. Students consistently write of his approachability, compassionate accommodation of their needs, and inspirational demeanor.

In addition to the knowledge he imparts, Maloney exhibits a high degree of compassion and caring for his students. He is accommodating and flexible, and he goes above and beyond to ensure that students meet all course objectives and receive the support they need. He is known as a faculty member whom students can rely on each semester for well-written and thoughtful letters of recommendation, and students regularly seek him out for career advice. He helps students with interview strategies and is eminently available to teacher candidates far beyond in-class time or office hours. In addition to supporting students, Maloney is exceedingly generous with his time and knowledge in supporting colleagues, the School of Education, and Buffalo State University.

Maloney is versatile, responsible, responsive, and adaptable. He regularly attends monthly department meetings and faculty retreats. He volunteers to serve on committees across campus and is active in other professional service activities typically engaged in by full-time faculty. For many years, he has been a go-to person for teacher candidates, field placements, and connecting the campus with various community agencies and services. For the past several years, the department has been involved in various recruitment initiatives, and Maloney was among the first to volunteer to spearhead and support these efforts. He is one of the originators of the Developing Future Teachers substitute teaching program, an important Buffalo State response to local school districts whose need for skilled substitute teachers has become chronic in recent years.

Nominator: Shannon E. Budin, Ph.D., Assistant Dean and Professor, Exceptional Education Department; and Mark P. Posluszny, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Exceptional Education Department

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
Ricky L. Fleming, Ph.D.

Ricky Fleming, professor of music, has a detailed history of commitment, inventiveness, and devotion to the State University of New York, Buffalo State University, the Western New York community, and beyond through his initiatives and steadfast duty to deliver music and music education opportunities for all. His record, substantiated by scores of student and colleague testimonials, illustrates in detail how Fleming has excelled in faculty service.

Fleming has been a member of the Music Department for more than 20 years. During this period, he has consistently promoted participation from his students that goes far beyond the curriculum. His focus has been on underrepresented groups in music, but his influence is clearly a benefit to everyone involved. Fleming brings his own high-level local, national, and international performance experiences with him (he has performed with such well-known artists as Marie Osmond, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Four Tops, the Three Irish Tenors, Aretha Franklin, and the Temptations) and uses them to benefit Buffalo State students and local high school music students, illustrating how they can achieve prominence in music. His service is geared toward effecting positive change via teaching clinics, including the Buffalo State Summer Music Institute. He is truly a scholar-practitioner in the classroom.

Fleming is noted by colleagues for his many achievements, particularly his formation of the Buffalo State Honors Band, the Erie County Chamber Winds (which has been nominated for a Grammy award), the Buffalo Silver Band, and the Rockwell Hall Brass Quintet. Each of these units is unique in the region. Concomitantly, the Honors Band gives high school music students the opportunity to work with college music students. This peer mentorship atmosphere is lauded by many colleagues and former students as fundamental to the success of participants.

Beyond the region, Fleming’s service abounds, from chairing the New York State Band Directors Association Collegiate Chapter to serving as a music ambassador at various venues, both domestic and international, including in Hungary, South Africa, and China. He is a nationally and regionally sought-after conductor, serving as an invited conductor for high profile, selective organizations such as the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the International Music Camp, and the New York State School Music Association’s All-State ensemble. These invitations are a testament to his skill and notoriety in the music field. He is the consummate professional and academic role model whose credentials, work ethic, energy, and vision for Buffalo State University elevate its reputation around the world.

Nominator: Amitra A. Wall, Ph.D., Associate Provost, Academic Affairs

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Maria B. Brickhouse, M.A.

Maria Brickhouse, coordinator of the Academic Center for Excellence in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), is a pillar of the Buffalo State community, having served the campus for more than 20 years. During her tenure, she not only has made a significant impact in her department but also fiercely advocates on behalf of her students and colleagues through various campuswide involvements. Colleagues and alumni speak of her deep dedication to students’ development, adept ability to problem-solve difficult challenges through collaboration and relationship building, and unmatched commitment to service.

In her duties with EOP, Brickhouse exemplifies excellence in the promotion of teaching and learning by connecting inspirational faculty members with incoming Buffalo State students in the summer academy. She understands how critical early intervention can be in the trajectory of students’ success and has been that turning point for countless students at Buffalo State. She identifies students’ strengths and works with them to enhance their knowledge and skills in a way that builds confidence and self-esteem. Outside of her role with EOP, she has served the campus on various committees and in leadership roles. Most notably, she has served her colleagues through the College Senate, United University Professions, and the Professional Staff Caucus. She is a trusted source of information, compassion, and direction for colleagues dealing with varied challenges in their roles. She values being detailed oriented and thorough by involving all constituents in the process, and ensures that no stone is left unturned when working on behalf of her colleagues. She is always one of the first people to volunteer for a task, participate after regular working hours, and serve as an advocate for those on campus who may not feel safe in self-advocating.

Brickhouse is a consummate example of a professional who is student-centered and developmental in her approach to student success. Everything she does is with the intent of making a sustained impact. Alumni have pointed to their relationship with Brickhouse as the foundation for their success.

Her service above and beyond her workload is also found in working with academic departments and other units. She operates with the mindset of helping all students, regardless of EOP status, major, transfer or first-year status, or ability to succeed. She also operates with the mindset of equipping faculty and staff members so they can succeed as well. Her reach has extended to such areas as helping shape BSC 101: Intellectual Foundations, Science Education, Psychology and Philosophy, and writing-intensive courses. She collaborated with the Academic Affairs Office in coordinating specific study groups and tutorial assistance to include probationary students who are not EOP. She actively supported the Student Accessibility Services Office with tutorial assistance and other needs, including testing rooms and readers for exams.

Nominator: Amitra A. Wall, Ph.D., Associate Provost, Academic Affairs

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Michael J. Lewis, B.A.

Michael Lewis, senior director of administrative operations, has served Buffalo State first as director of events management and currently as senior director of administrative operations. In these roles, he has been endearingly recognized as an integral community member as he consistently and selflessly demonstrates his willingness and expert ability to do what is best for the university. Since joining Buffalo State as the director of events management in 2016, Lewis has emerged as a professional who could be relied on to execute organized, cost-effective, and efficiently run events and functions, most notably the Commencement and Convocation ceremonies. In addition to managing seamless events, he oversaw the operations of a new campus facility, the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center; developed a strategy to enhance the visibility of the Events Management Office; and led the transition and implementation of 25Live technology that allowed for streamlined processes in event scheduling and management.

Lewis was promoted to senior director of administrative operations because he demonstrated the ability to thrive in situations where a high degree of attention to detail, support, and leadership were required. In this role, he leads and manages many departments under the administrative operations umbrella, including the Design and Print Center, Events Management, Moving Operations, the Campus Mailroom, Parking Services, and Property Control and Sustainability Programs.

Lewis is known for going above and beyond the call of duty, and his collaborative nature transcends departments and divisions, ensuring the success of the students, faculty, and staff of Buffalo State. He regularly volunteers his time and is an active member of many campuswide event planning committees. A noteworthy example of Lewis exuding excellence beyond his position description occurred with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewis planned and executed the operation and coordination of COVID surveillance testing for 18 months, always rising to the challenge and adapting swiftly when met by fluctuating state, county, and State University of New York compliance updates.

Lewis makes the impossible possible every day, and he is a model for all staff members on campus. His selfless nature and tendency to look beyond himself to champion the needs and successes of others is evidenced by the numerous letters of support from colleagues and supervisees across his professional tenure. His approachability, resourcefulness, and dedication to bettering the Buffalo State community are immeasurable. Wherever he treads professionally, he leaves behind a wake of improvements, enhancements, satisfied customers and colleagues, and streamlined processes.

Nominator: Lisa H. Krieger, B.S., Interim Vice President for Management and Operations, Finance and Management

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Kathy R. Doody, Ph.D.

Kathy Doody, professor of exceptional education, joined Buffalo State as an adjunct instructor in 2010 and was hired full time in 2012. She has demonstrable evidence of her quality of teaching through student and peer evaluations, exemplary learning tools, and continued contributions to the program and curriculum. She is an exceptional educator, scholar, and colleague. Buffalo State University is a better institution because of her teaching expertise; mentorship; and contributions to the Exceptional Education Department, university, and community.

Doody has taught 13 different courses in both the graduate and undergraduate programs, demonstrating her diverse and extensive knowledge in the field and willingness to keep abreast in multiple areas of expertise within the field of education, particularly special education. As an expert in early childhood special education, she teaches all the early childhood courses in the Exceptional Education Department. In addition, she has written two new course proposals, developed Buffalo State’s first 4+1 program, was integral in the development of the new program in applied behavior analysis, and co-developed a microcredential in American sign language/autism spectrum disorders. She is collaboratively working to create a graduate program for teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing and has also developed an internship certificate program for master’s candidates so they might get paid while completing their programs.

Doody’s outstanding teaching is further demonstrated by her consistently high student evaluations, averaging between 4.6 and 5.0 on a 5.0-point scale. She uses student feedback to make improvements in her teaching, specifically sharing evaluative data and comments with students to facilitate dialogue about improvements. Likewise, her colleagues and classroom observers have noted her to be an effective educator who models best instructional practices and actively engages students by using a variety of research-validated teaching techniques.

Of particular note is Doody’s commitment to service and applied learning in the classroom. In 2016, she was awarded the Buffalo State Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Service Learning Award, and in 2019, she participated in Buffalo State’s Applied Learning Faculty Cohort. Currently, all her graduate-level courses have a service-learning component, which is consistent with Buffalo State’s mission and commitment as an urban-engaged campus.

Nominator: Lisa A. Rafferty, Ph.D., Professor, Exceptional Education Department

BUFFALO STATE PRESIDENT’S AWARDS

Buffalo State President’s Awards recognize excellence among faculty and staff members who distinguished themselves in work performed on behalf of the university.

President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the University

Andrea L. Hoehman

Andrea Hoehman, administrative assistant 1 in the Exceptional Education Department, has demonstrated considerable effort and excellence in fulfilling significant responsibilities since joining the department in 2015. Her work has been characterized by consistency, initiative, and leadership. She routinely fulfills her responsibilities in a professional, thoughtful, and considerate manner.

Hoehman’s success in facilitating and advancing the work of faculty members and department administrators can be attributed to her excellent problem-solving skills. She has a vast knowledge of how the university works and which offices to call to find answers to questions. Faculty members note that she leverages her knowledge and experience in a way that benefits individual faculty members’ performance, and that whenever faculty members or students have questions that fall outside of course advising, she promptly answers them or directs them to available campus resources that can assist in resolving problems.

The list of tasks and activities that she must facilitate, organize, and implement is impressive. Many go beyond her job description. These include facilitating the Exceptional Education Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony in addition to managing all the processes in student admissions, applications, Degree Works, registration, and other student-centered activities. For the faculty, Hoehman facilitates personnel actions, meetings and retreats, syllabi and office hours, classroom assignments, interactions with other offices on campus, and a myriad of activities that require diplomacy, knowledge of complex institutional structures, and ultimately patience and tolerance.

Effective and efficient support of exceptional education faculty and teacher candidates during the past several years has required flexibility, creativity, and leadership. As the university transitioned between remote and on-campus modalities, and when the office’s administrative staff was reduced from two members to one, Hoehman was able to maintain the department’s productivity. She adjusted her schedule and workload and provided the necessary guidance and oversight of other office staff, graduate assistants, and work-study students. Faculty members and teacher candidates continued to be fully and seamlessly supported.

Nominator: Mark P. Posluszny, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Exceptional Education Department

President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the University

Julie M. Wholf, B.S.

Julie Wholf, administrative assistant 1 in the Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership Department, has shown superb performance in fulfilling her assigned duties and a willingness to adjust to changing needs over her 25 years of service. She is creative in developing new ways to address her work tasks and is always accurate and timely. Most importantly, she has exemplary human relations skills and has been able to work well with the hundreds of faculty members and thousands of students she has served over the years. One of the first recipients of Buffalo State’s Caring Bengal Award, she consistently engages in acts of kindness to support faculty members and students with a positive can-do attitude.

Wholf serves in a complex role, managing or organizing the paperwork for four large undergraduate programs, four large graduate programs, and about 200 student teachers each year. The specific certification requirements for students are multifaceted, and she keeps their paperwork current so that they can successfully complete their programs. The department hosts many events each year for recruitment, orientation, retention, student engagement, certification, and student teaching, and Wholf skillfully coordinates each one.

During Wholf’s time at the university, the department has undergone many major changes, and she eagerly learns new systems and technologies and helps faculty and staff members in the department do the same. With retired superintendents and principals teaching in the department who are accustomed to having a personal secretary, Wholf cheerfully fulfills that role for them so that they are able to generate letters of reference and other correspondence. An excellent supervisor of work-study students, she is clear in her directions and consistent in her supervision. She has a knack for knowing which aspects of paperwork are going to be confusing for students and has developed systems to help them traverse the bureaucracy.

Her service extends beyond the department. She chairs the CSEA Veterans Committee, and she volunteers with four community agencies. She is a notary public for the university and holds Community Emergency Response Certification, including specific training in nine areas. Wholf has organized dozens of students in the department to participate in the annual Bengals Dare to Care Day and is the department’s SEFA/United Way representative, graciously helping faculty and staff members process contributions. She consistently attends campuswide events, celebrating successes and asking good questions about policies on behalf of her colleagues.

Nominator: Julie J. Henry, Ph.D., Professor, Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership Department

President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the University
Kevin K. Williams, Ph.D.

Kevin Williams, associate professor of geosciences, provides exemplary service to Buffalo State in everything he does, including teaching in the Geosciences Department, directing the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, serving on many campuswide committees and ad-hoc groups, serving on the College Senate for 12 years, and serving as the current and inaugural speaker of the School of Arts and Sciences. In addition to his campus work, he is a leader in service to his professional community. In short, Williams can always be counted on when a service activity needs to be done correctly and in a timely manner.

A teacher-scholar who integrates teaching, service, and scholarship in every aspect of his job, Williams is always willing to take on an extra student to work with him on scholarship or in a course-by-contract situation. He understands that a significant portion of his job is service, and he works for the benefit of the institution and the students. When the new School of Arts and Sciences needed a faculty speaker to lead meetings and represent the faculty members, Williams put his name forward and was overwhelmingly selected by the faculty. He sees the big picture and is willing to adapt to changing institutional needs.

Williams helps demonstrate Buffalo State University’s “anchor institution” status through his exhaustive work as director of the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium. He has transformed the planetarium, which was a well-kept secret in the old Science Building, to what it is today—a major public attraction for the Western New York community. He reaches out to local media for publicity and works on ways to generate revenue streams. He produces excellent programming on a budget, demonstrating creativity and problem solving. He has worked tirelessly to promote Buffalo State and its programs through the planetarium and puts great care into school group visits and public shows that promote the campus, as he does with Buffalo State colleague class visits that promote cross-disciplinary synergies. He has done this with each school and almost every department. For example, he recently co-chaired the Great Lakes Planetarium Society conference using the planetarium as an instructional resource. He also used the planetarium as a 3D immersive theater for instructing geology students in spatial cognition skill-building. He presented the preliminary results of that work last year at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.

Williams is known far and wide for his exceptional collegiality, collaborative skills, and kindness, as well as his ability to speak his mind when necessary. Colleagues working on student issues and curriculum note that he has a gentle way about him that invites collaboration and compromise, but when the time comes for Williams to comment, he is forthright. This is a rare combination of assets that both effectively serve Buffalo State and are appreciated by everyone that works with him on any subject. Personable and level-headed, he is seen as a role model, one who starts every School of Arts and Sciences meeting by reminding attendees to “be kind.”

Nominator: Brian C. Cronk, Ph.D., Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity
Mark K. Fulk, Ph.D.

Mark Fulk, professor of English, has steadily built a substantial record of both scholarly and creative publication. His scholarship, which exhibits intellectual curiosity and versatility, examines a wide range of authors, including Susan Sontag, John Milton, Philip Roth, Charlotte Smith, Eliza Knipe, William Gilpin, and May Sarton. His writings—coupled with his extensive record of book reviews, encyclopedia entries, and conference presentations— demonstrate the depth of his research. The various theoretical approaches to these authors show his work’s attention to emerging currents in literary theory, art appreciation, and theological studies. It has been noted that truly interdisciplinary work at a consistently high level is both quite difficult and extremely valuable, and Fulk exemplifies those attributes.

Fulk has published two books, 11 articles or book chapters, three review essays, more than a dozen book reviews, and a dozen poems along with encyclopedia articles and bibliographical work. Many of his book reviews were written for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ECS), the flagship journal for scholars of this period. That he has been repeatedly called upon to review for ECS illustrates the confidence his fellow scholars have in his critical judgment. Colleagues laud his high standards of analytical rigor and close readings, research and contextual connections, and engaging prose.

Fulk’s work examines not only eighteenth- and early-nineteenth-century British literature, the area in which he principally teaches, but also late-twentieth-century American writers. His work has earned praise for bridging these time periods and settings, and with them a wide range of literary genres and forms. His recent contribution to the field of literary criticism—Interpreting Susan Sontag’s Essays (Routledge, 2021)—considers the historical moments of Sontag’s works to reassess their intended interventions and potential future valences. The book has been called “a vital contribution to our scholarly conversations … that positions Dr. Fulk as a leading expert on this figure and her works.”

In addition to fulfilling his ongoing research agenda, Fulk is an active scholar in his service to the profession. He serves as a peer reviewer for various journals as well as for the Broadview and Norton anthologies. For the past five years, he has been on the editorial board of the journal Sermon Studies, a role that includes assisting with organizing the Sermon Studies Conference. In 2010, he served on the organizing committee for the Northeast American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies Conference, which was held in Buffalo and had 150 attendees, including 20 local graduate students.

Nominator: Lisa Berglund, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, English Department

President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity
Alexander Y. Karatayev, Ph.D.

Alexander Karatayev, director of the Buffalo State Great Lakes Center, is a prolific author and grant recipient. He has published nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers and proceedings throughout his career. In 2022 alone, he published three peer-reviewed research papers, including three large reviews on biology, ecology, ecosystem services, and the impacts of the invasive mollusk Dreissena. His publications have appeared in high-impact-factor journals and are widely cited (roughly 780 citations a year).

Karatayev has been highly successful in acquiring funding for his research. Since joining Buffalo State in 2007, he has been a co-recipient of more than $10.5 million in external funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Greenway Ecological Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and other state and federal agencies. Since 2012, he has been funded to continue long-term monitoring of benthic invertebrates across all the Great Lakes, a program led by the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office. This funding will continue until 2028, for a total of $6.7 million shared with Cornell University. His contributions to these studies have made the Great Lakes Center, and Buffalo State, recognized names among the Great Lakes scientific community. Critically, the personnel he has enlisted to help with these efforts ensure that all items on an extensive list of deliverables to external funders are met: no small task for such large research awards.

Karatayev has pioneered the use of video methods to estimate the spread and distribution of mussels in the Great Lakes. Traditional population assessment methods require several years to process; however, Karatayev proposed a method of rapid video assessment in 2019, providing critical, up-to-date information for scientists managing the Great Lakes ecosystems. In addition, he created the Great Lakes DNA Barcode Reference Library for benthic invertebrates. These studies reflect the scope and magnitude of his research interests and achievements.

In addition to his renown as an expert in the Great Lakes ecosystems, Karatayev is also well known internationally and has been sought out by a number of European research organizations. The AD Scientific Index lists him as the most productive scientist at Buffalo State, and No. 64 among all fisheries scientists in the United States. Karatayev brings a wonderful perspective on national and international issues as an immigrant from Belarus and frequently hosts small gatherings at his home to welcome visiting scientists from across the country and around the world. His work is prolific and important to the scientific community. He represents the ideal academic researcher, and his association with Buffalo State enhances the reputation of the institution and the Great Lakes Center.

Nominator: Lyubov Burlakova, Senior Research Scientist, Great Lakes Center

President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity
Peter J. Ramos, Ph.D.

Peter Ramos, professor of English, is a prolific and successful poet who has built a substantial record of both scholarly and creative publication. He has published one scholarly book; two book-length collections of poetry; three chapbooks; 12 literary critical articles or book chapters; a review essay; and dozens of individual poems, reviews, and interviews. He has given scores of public readings and invited lectures. In recognition of the excellence of his work, Ramos has received 12 Pushcart Prize nominations and more than a dozen residency fellowships for poetry.

His first book-length collection, Please Do Not Feed the Ghost (2008), has been enthusiastically reviewed, and his collection Lord Baltimore (2021) has earned laudatory responses from literary reviews and prize committees. In the past four years, Ramos has published one major scholarly book, Poetic Encounters in the Americas (Routledge, 2019; released in paperback in 2021), three refereed journal articles, two book chapters, and five reviews of various kinds (including anthology introductions, articles, and editorials). In this same period, he has published one full-length collection of poetry and one chapbook. He has also had seven poems included in anthologies and 24 poems published in various forms. The amount of creative work is outstanding; its quality is equally remarkable, as reflected in excellent reviews.

His service to the larger poetry community extends beyond his own poems and criticism. His frequent book reviews, introductions, interviews, and endorsements of other poets are all indicative of a deep and sustained engagement with both prominent and up-and-coming writers and publications in the field. Ramos’s service includes his active support of other poets as well as his admirable commitment to mentoring creative writing students at Buffalo State. He has regularly participated in the English Department’s Drop Hammer student reading series and coordinated the series in 2022–2023. He has assisted with the publication of the department’s literary journal, ELJ, and organized readings by visiting poets. In addition, he has served on the Burchfield Penney Poetry Committee since 2005. He also volunteers as a referee for submitted work for several literary journals and a publisher.

Ramos’s clarity and cogency as a critic echoes the observations of his classroom teaching and points to the valuable reciprocity of his achievements as a teacher and scholar. His lucid, thoughtful criticism, a theme that connects such disparate pieces as a critical essay on James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans, a substantial review of an anthology of Latin American poetry, and an autobiographical essay analyzing his own poetry. While he engages with current scholarship, Ramos makes his strongest points through intelligent close reading linked to an unflinching examination of the moral and ethical concerns raised in the literary works. Also impressive is his easy integration of examples from a wide range of literary, cultural, and critical sources.

Nominator: Lisa Berglund, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, English Department

Photos by Jesse Steffan-Colucci, Buffalo State photographer, or courtesy of the honorees.