The University of Texas Medical Branch Office of Faculty Affairs has announced the inaugural UTMB Faculty Excellence Award winners.

Created to support the office's mission to increase faculty engagement and satisfaction, the awards program aims to highlight and celebrate notable faculty members in categories including, Excellence in Clinical Service, Excellence in Education, Excellence in Mentoring, and Excellence in Research.

In total, more than 30 nominations were submitted from across the institution with winners in each category as follows:

Excellence in Clinical Service

• Ronald W. Lindsey, MD, FAOA, FAAOS, FACS

• Shawn Nishi, MD

Excellence in Education

• Shatoi King, PhD, MSN-Ed, RN-BC, CNE

• Victor E. Reyes, PhD

Excellence in Mentoring

• Mukaila Raji, MD, MS, FACP

• Elise Smith, PhD

• Gracie Vargas, PhD

Excellence in Research

• Ramkumar Menon, PhD, MS

"Our institution's strength lies in the tremendous talents and expertise of its faculty," said Dr. Susan Chubinskaya, vice president and executive vice provost for Faculty Affairs; professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation; and the Peaches and Shrub Kemper Distinguished Professor in Health Disparities. "As we embark on new endeavors to elevate and support our faculty, we will become even stronger in service to our students, patients, and communities."

Passionate about the work she's doing, Chubinskaya said she looks forward to this being the first of many Faculty Excellence Award celebrations to come.

"We are thrilled to recognize our inaugural award winners at UTMB, and we are excited to begin a tradition that will shine the spotlight on outstanding faculty achievements year after year," she said.

Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of UTMB and CEO of the UTMB Health System, enthusiastically supports the program and this year's winners.

"The work these individuals do each day directly impacts the current and next generation of clinicians and life science professionals," he said. "They exhibit an exemplary dedication to the mission of UTMB and for that I'm eternally grateful."