Athens State University recently honored two outstanding faculty members at the 2022 Honors Convocation.
For more than 10 years, the University has recognized contributions of exceptional faculty through the Teaching Excellence Award and the Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Works Award. These awards are sponsored by the Athens State University Foundation, and nominations are received from students, faculty, and administrators who recognize faculty members who go above and beyond in their teaching and scholarly work.
Dr. Katia Maxwell
Dr. Katia Maxwell received the 2022 Teaching Excellence Award. This award recognizes a full-time faculty member who is distinguished by truly outstanding performance in the classroom. Students and faculty members praised Dr. Maxwell for her commitment to her students’ success including her constant collaboration, communication, and availability to them, as well as her service and dedication to the University. She began working at Athens State in 2013 and currently holds the rank of Associate Professor. She holds a BS, MS, and PhD in Computer Science.
Dr. Shannon Pittman
Dr. Shannon Pittman received the 2022 Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Works Award. This award recognizes a full-time faculty member whose University career is distinguished by truly outstanding scholarly or creative works. Her scientific research has been lauded as “credible, significant, and perpetual.” She recently received a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation – SSTEM Program and has collaborated with the Army Corps of Engineers, The Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Wetland Edge Environmental Center, and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Dr. Pittman began working at Athens State in 2018 and holds the rank of Assistant Professor. She holds a BS in Biology and a PhD in Biological Sciences and attended the School for Field Studies in Queensland Australia.