Each year, the Outstanding Research and Outstanding Creative Endeavor Awards are announced at the annual Faculty Fall Convocation. Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) honors these recipients each year at BeneFacta to celebrate their great works and the impact they have made on Ball State students and the Muncie community.
2022 Award Recipients

Dr. Sergei Zhuk
Professor of History
Outstanding Research Award
Sergei Zhuk, Professor of History at BSU for nearly 15 years and Fulbright scholar, is this year’s Outstanding Research Award recipient for his research and publications on the culture and identity of imperial Russia, Ukraine and the Soviet Union. His most recent publication, KGB Operations against the USA and Canada in Soviet Ukraine, 1953–1991, focuses on the political and cultural history of Soviet Ukraine and American through the eyes of KGB operations against the US and Canada. His research has led to many popular and interesting classes, lectures, and scholarly articles.
Read Dr. Zhuk's full feature story on our blog.

Ted Neal
Professor of Art
Outstanding Creative Endeavor
Ted Neal, a professor of art at BSU since 2006, is this year’s Outstanding Creative Endeavor Award recipient. Ted is a nationally known expert on building kilns and studios that are energy efficient. His own work has been featured in numerous exhibitions over the years. His passion for the history of ceramics and sustainability is brought into the classroom where he teaches students not only the art of ceramics but how to build their own kilns on a budget to help them begin their career as soon as possible. Neal also stresses the importance of supporting your community and building the crucial social network needed to succeed in the art world.
Read Professor Neal's full feature story on our blog.
Past Recipients
Research
2020
- 2021 – Serena Shim, Professor of Educational Psychology
- 2020 – Richard Petts, Professor of Sociology
2010
- 2019 – Maoyong Fan, Professor of Economics
- 2018 – Joseph Marchal, Professor of Religious Studies
- 2017 – Scott Trappe, Director of the Human Performance Laboratory
- 2016 – Susan McDowell, Professor of Biology
- 2015 – Rui Chen, Associate Professor of Information Systems
- 2014 – Melody Bernot, Associate Professor of Biology
- 2013 – Tom Holtgraves, Professor of Psychology
- 2012 – Holmes Finch, Professor of Educational Psychology
- 2011 – Todd Trappe, Professor of Exercise Science
- 2010 – Thomas Lauer, Professor of Biology
2000
- 2009 – Richard Fluegeman, Professor of Geological Sciences
- 2008 – Lawrence Gerstein, Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies; Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services
- 2007 – Sushil Sharma, Information Systems and Operations Management
- 2006 – Robert Papper, Telecommunications
- 2005 – Mahfuza Khatun, Physics and Astronomy; Ronald Cosby, Center for Computational Nanoscience; and Yong Joe, Physics and Astronomy
- 2004 – Tracy Cross, Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities
- 2003 – Carolyn MacKay, English
- 2002 – Jay Bagga, Computer Science
- 2001 – Thomas Morrell, Biology
- 2000 – Thaddeus Godish, Natural Resources and Environmental Management
1990
- 1999 – Donald F. Kuratko, Marketing and Management
- 1998 – Adele King, Modern Languages and Classics
- 1997 – Gale Gehlsen, Physical Education
- 1996 – Mohammad Behforouz, Chemistry
- 1995 – Glenda Riley, History
- 1994 – Wayne Zage, Computer Science
- 1993 – Thomas McComish, Biology
- 1992 – Terry Schurr, Computing Services
- 1991 – Chun-Hung Tzeng, Computer Science
- 1990 – John Glover, Educational Psychology
1980
- 1989 – Merle Fifield, English
- 1988 – Jatinder Gupta, Marketing and Management
- 1987 – Raymond Dean, Educational Psychology, and Robert Pinger, Nutrition and Health Science
- 1986 – Wes Gehring, Telecommunications
- 1985 – Mir Masoom Ali, Mathematical Sciences
- 1984 – Linda Ferrill, Educational Psychology
- 1983 – John Koumoulides, History
- 1982 – Alice Bennett, Biology
- 1981 – Tetsumaro Hayashi, English
- 1980 – Joseph Trimmer, English
1970
- 1979 – Juan Pablo Bonta, Architecture
- 1978 – Dwight Hoover, History
- 1977 – T. K. Puttaswamy, Mathematical Sciences
- 1976 – Chu-Yuan Cheng, Economics
- 1975 – John Beekman, Mathematical Sciences
- 1974 – Russell Siverly, Nutrition and Health Science
- 1973 – Gordon Rosene, Nutrition and Health Science
- 1972 – David Costill, Physical Education
Creative Endeavors
2020
- 2021 – Susan Koper, Assistant Professor of Dance
- 2020 – No Recipient
2010
- 2019 – Jill C. Christman, Professor of English
- 2018 – Jennifer Blackmer, Professor of Theatre, and Executive Director for Immersive Learning and Virginia Ball Center
- 2017 – Christopher Flook, Lecturer of Telecommunications
- 2016 – Drew Vidal, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance
- 2016 – Michael Elliott, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance
- 2015 – Karen L. Kessler, Professor of Theatre and Dance
- 2014 – Christie Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of Dance
- 2013 – Matt Mullins, Assistant Professor of English
- 2012 – Beth Turcotte, Associate Professor of Theatre
- 2011 – Sean Lovelace, Associate Professor of English
- 2010 – Jennifer Blackmer, Associate Professor of Theatre
2000
- 2009 – Mark Neely, Director of Creative Writing
- 2008 – Timothy Gray, Associate Professor of Architecture
- 2007 – Mei Zhong, Professor of Voice
- 2006 – Hans Sturm, Music
- 2005 – James Glass, Center for Historic Preservation; Architecture
- 2004 – Pamela Harwood, Associate Professor of Architecture
- 2003 – Patricia White, English
1990
- 1997 – George Wolfe, Music
- 1996 – Douglas Amman, Music
- 1995 – Sarojini Johnson, Art
- 1994 – Marilynn Derwenskus, Art
- 1992 – Nina B. Marshall, Art
- 1991 – Mitchell Andrews, Music
- 1990 – Judy Yordon, Theatre and Dance
1980
- 1989 – Pia Sebastiani, Music
- 1988 – Ernesto Pellegrini, Music
- 1987 – Edward Strother, Theatre and Dance
- 1985 – Jean Murphy
- 1984 – David Shawger, Theatre and Dance
- 1983 – Patricia A. Nelson, Art
- 1982 – Kenneth Preston, Art
- 1981 – Robert Hargreaves, Music
- 1980 – Arthur W. Schaller, Architecture
1970
- 1979 – James K. MacDougall, English
- 1978 – Thomas Thornburg, English
- 1977 – Craig Kuhner, Architecture
- 1976 – Leslie Leupp, Art
- 1975 – Linda Arndt, Art