12/15/17 

HAYS, Kan. – Fall winners of Fort Hays State University’s faculty awards for service, scholarly activity and research, and teaching were announced this month at surprise visits in their classrooms.

Dr. Hong Biao Zeng, professor of computer science, received the teaching award. The award for research and scholarly activity was presented to Dr. Jenny Manry, and Jeff Sadler, instructor of mathematics, received the award for service.

All three recipients received a $500 check for their accomplishments. Three other faculty members will be recognized for teaching, research and scholarly activity, and service in the spring 2018 semester.                                   

Together with this semester's winners, these six faculty members will constitute the pool from which the Faculty Member of the Year will be chosen. That winner will be announced at the Fall Convocation in August. The Faculty Member of the Year Award carries a $1,000 cash prize.

Each of the five colleges of the university nominates outstanding faculty members to receive the awards. Recipients are selected by a committee appointed by the respective college deans.

Zeng was credited with “single-handedly” creating the online computer science program and developing four online courses during the last year: Computer Operating Systems, Programming Languages and Software Engineering I and II. His expertise and his fairness in assignments and grading has earned him popularity with and respect from his students. He will be responsible in the coming months for revising the computer science curriculum.

Manry’s scholarly production has resulted in publications in a variety of nursing journals and has collaborated with colleagues on many presentations at nursing conferences. She has created a scholarship club within the department to help increase the quantity and quality of scholarship produced by the department. Her efforts have also included grant-writing, which have resulted so far in $230,000 in grants.

Sadler’s service to his department and the university includes many hours working on the annual Math Relays for high school students from across the state. He also chairs the Department of Mathematics Scholarship Committee and is involved in several advisory, program and review committees. He is also a co-sponsor of the Kappa Mu Epsilon honor society.