2018 OSU Regents Distinguished Research Award recipients are (from left) Drs. Elizabeth Grubgeld, Ashish Ranjan, Glenn Zhang, Jason DeFreitas, Kristen Baum, and Federico Aime. No pictured is Dr. Amanda Sheffield Morris.

The best of the best OSU researchers honored

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Oklahoma State University has honored seven top research faculty with the 2018 Regents Distinguished Research Award. Recipients are selected based on evidence of outstanding and meritorious research achievements and are recognized nationally and internationally in their fields of study. The winners were recognized Dec. 3 at the University Awards Convocation.

This year’s recipients include research areas ranging from English literature to molecular immunology and represent six OSU colleges.

“The Regents Distinguished Research Award recipients are some of the true research leaders in their respective colleges,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, vice president for research. “Our Board of Regents, in their wisdom, established this designation to ensure that the research mission remains front and center at OSU.”

The 2018 winners:

Federico Aime, Ph.D., Professor and William S. Spears Chair of Business Administration
Department of Management, Spears School of Business
Aime is a respected researcher in strategic leadership with a record of impactful publications in premier academic journals. He is an expert in the fields of top management team decision-making, team microdynamics, and micro-processes of organizational activity. His service includes collaborating with Moi University in Kenya, helping more than 20 Kenyan doctorate students graduate.

Kristen Baum, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Integrative Biology, College of Arts and Sciences
Baum has been the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI for on more than $7 million in funding for the study of land management and impact on pollinators. She is known for her support for undergraduate researchers and has mentored more than 75 students. Baum is co-director for OSUTeach, which works to increase qualified education students pursuing degrees to teach science and math in secondary grades.

Jason DeFreitas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Health and Human Performance, College of Education, Health and Aviation
DeFreitas’ study of neuroscience, muscle physiology and human performance has resulted in 74 peer-reviewed journal articles that have been cited more than 1,100 times, including 894 times since he joined the OSU faculty in 2013. He has been awarded more than $365,000 in funding for his research.

Elizabeth Grubgeld, Ph.D., Professor
Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences
The scholarship of Grubgeld in Irish and British literature has brought her international recognition and raised the profile of the OSU Department of English. Her scholarly output includes three books on Irish autobiography, 28 peer-reviewed articles and 38 presentations at academic conferences around the world. Grubgeld has directed 19 theses and dissertations.

Amanda Sheffield Morris, Ph.D., Professor and George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Child Development
Department of Human Development and Family Science, College of Human Sciences
A two-time research award recipient, Morris is an expert on the social development and emotional adjustment of infants, children and adolescents, and the role of parents in the emotional development of children. Her total citations now number more than 10,400 and her research has led to nearly $4.5 million in funding.

Ashish Ranjan, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Kerr Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Ranjan investigates the use of device-directed nanoparticle treatments for chronic diseases and is considered a leader in the use of focused ultrasound disease intervention. He has won such awards for his work as the NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence, the OSU President’s Fellows Faculty Research Award and the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence.

Glenn Zhang, Ph.D., Professor and Boulware Endowed Chair
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
A molecular immunologist, Zhang conducts research on the development of alternatives to antibiotics and has developed several innovative antibiotic-free strategies for use in both humans and livestock. He has received more than $6.7 million in funding and has published 65 peer-reviewed papers that have been cited more than 6,500 times.