IRVING, Texas (Feb. 9, 2026) – The Big 12 has announced its Faculty of the Year Awards, celebrating one top faculty member from each member school for excellence in innovation and research on their campus. Together, the 16 honorees represent what makes college campuses thrive as places of learning and growth.
“We are constantly looking for ways to highlight how Big 12 faculty continue to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders,” said Big 12 Chief Impact Officer Jenn Hunter. “From the arts and film making to business and engineering, this year’s cohort showcases the vast opportunities available to students pursuing an education on Big 12 campuses.”
The Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award is also an opportunity to showcase the diversity of research breakthroughs and educational opportunities afforded to students attending Big 12 institutions and helps attract future students. This year’s awards recipients stretch across a vast array of departments, some highlights include:
- Arizona, Dr. Marcia J. Rieke: Regents’ Professor of Astronomy and a pioneering leader in infrared astronomy whose career spans decades of groundbreaking contributions, including serving as Principal Investigator for the Near-Infrared Camera on the James Webb Space Telescope.
- Baylor, Dr. Heidi Hornik-Parsons: A leading expert on Michele Tosini, a renowned 16th-century Renaissance painter. She has lectured around the world on Tosini and published nine books and 40 articles, including the first biography on the artist in 2009.
- Utah, Hubbel Palmer: In addition to serving as Assistant Professor of Film and Media Arts, Palmer’s achievements include cowriting A Minecraft Movie, which is one of the top 50 highest-grossing U.S. films of all time, and Ninety-Five Senses, an Oscar-nominated short that explores themes of empathy and justice.
- West Virginia, Dr. Ali Rezai, MD, FAANS: A neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, who is the Associate Dean of Neuroscience and the Executive Chair and Director of the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI). His career has been dedicated to advancing the care of people with neurological and mental health conditions. Dr. Rezai has developed the RNI into a world-class patient care, education, and research institute with 300 physicians and scientists in seven departments and more than 2,300 professionals managing 300,000 neurological and mental health care patient visits annually.
The Faculty Members of the Year were nominated by their institutions in conjunction with Big 12 Faculty Athletics Reps, Provosts and other university leaders.
| Institution |
Faculty Member |
Discipline |
| Arizona |
Dr. Marcia J. Rieke |
Astronomy |
| Arizona State |
Dr. David Waldman |
Management & Entrepreneurship |
| Baylor |
Dr. Heidi Hornik-Parsons |
Art and Art History |
| BYU |
Dr. Rick Gill |
Dean, Undergraduate Education |
| UCF |
Dr. Deborah C. Beidel |
Psychology |
| Cincinnati |
Dr. Robert Buckingham |
Mathematical Sciences |
| Colorado |
Dr. John Cumalat |
Physics |
| Houston |
Dr. Elena Grigorenko |
Psychology |
| Iowa State |
Dr. Gregory Welk |
Mathematical Sciences |
| Kansas |
Dr. John P. Thyfault |
Cell Biology and Physiology |
| Kansas State |
Dr. Brian Geisbrecht |
Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics |
| Oklahoma State |
Dr. Raj Singh |
Materials and Science Engineering |
| TCU |
Dr. Kayla N. Green |
Chemistry & Biochemistry |
| Texas Tech |
Dr. Stephen Bayne |
Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Utah |
Hubbel Palmer |
Film & Media Arts |
| West Virginia |
Dr. Ali Rezai, MD, FAANS |
Neurosurgeon/Neuroscientist |
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