Business professor named 2025–26 KU Spotlight on Faculty Excellence honoree
LAWRENCE — For the third consecutive year, KU Spotlight on Faculty Excellence will celebrate University of Kansas faculty contributions in research, scholarship and creative activity. Each honoree will be recognized during an upcoming KU Athletics event.
“The Spotlight on Faculty Excellence events are special because they bring academics and athletics together in celebration of KU's outstanding faculty and their contributions,” said Amy Mendenhall, vice provost for faculty affairs. “We are excited about this program becoming a mainstay at KU and our continued partnerships across KU Athletics, KU Medical Center, the Office of Research and academic units.”
Honorees are selected from nominations submitted by school and center leaders at the Lawrence, Edwards and Medical Center campuses. A selection committee utilizes a scoring rubric that includes research, scholarship or creative impact; societal or community impact; commitment to mentorship; institutional contribution; and innovation and leadership.
The following 12 faculty members have been selected as 2025-26 Spotlight honorees:
- Andrés Bur, associate professor of otolaryngology, Medical Center
- Mindy Bridges, associate professor of hearing and speech, Medical Center
- Clint Chadwick, professor of business, Lawrence
- Lisa Didion, assistant professor of special education, Lawrence
- Andrew Godwin, Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair of biomedical sciences, Medical Center
- John Kelly, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, Lawrence
- Annabel Mancillas, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Medical Center
- Bradley Newell, associate dean and clinical associate professor of pharmacy (Wichita), Lawrence
- Subhrajit Saha, professor of radiation oncology, Medical Center
- Claire Willey-Sthapit, assistant professor of social welfare, Lawrence
- Doug Wright, professor of anesthesiology, Medical Center
- Xinmai Yang, professor of mechanical engineering, Lawrence
Plans for upcoming spotlight events are being finalized and will be shared via the Spotlight on Faculty Excellence webpage. Each honoree will be celebrated at a KU volleyball, men’s basketball or women’s basketball game. For questions about the Spotlight on Faculty Excellence program, please contact Robin Lehman at rlehman@ku.edu.