Eighteen faculty and staff members across Cornell’s state contract colleges have been named recipients of the 2025–26 State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. In addition, Roger Figueroa of the College of Human Ecology (CHE) received a SUNY Chancellor’s Horizon Award for Faculty Research and Scholarship, a distinction honoring emerging academic leaders across the SUNY system.

The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence recognize individuals whose work reflects consistently superior professional achievement and underscore SUNY’s commitment to sustaining intellectual vibrancy, advancing the boundaries of knowledge, providing the highest quality of instruction and serving the public good.

Honors for faculty in service:

• Ariel Avgar, the David M. Cohen Professor in Labor Relations, Law and History in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), for outstanding service to university and profession. As associate director of the Scheinman Institute of Conflict Resolution, Avgar has expanded programming across campus and nationally. During his tenure as ILR’s senior associate dean of outreach and sponsored programs, he helped guide communication and decision-making across the school. He also serves as co-chair of the university’s Committee on the Future of the American University, leading the subgroup on public impact and community engagement.

• Anthony Burrow, the Ferris Family Associate Professor of Life Course Studies in the Department of Psychology (College of Human Ecology), for exceptional service through sustained leadership, outreach and community engagement. Since 2020, Burrow has directed the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research and led the Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange, which reaches youth nationwide. As senior associate dean for outreach and extension, he has been deepening relationships with Cooperative Extension and communities throughout the state. Burrow is a member of Cornell’s Committee on the Future of the American University.

• Nathan Peterson, associate clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), for extraordinary service to the university and profession. Peterson has led clinical training at CVM as residency program director for small animal emergency and critical care and director of the rotating internship program. As chair of the admissions committee, he oversees a rigorous and equitable selection process. His contributions also include curriculum and academic integrity initiatives at Cornell and leadership roles in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care supporting accreditation, training and board certification.

• Christopher A. Wolf, the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), for outstanding service to the university, profession and community. A globally recognized leader in dairy farm management, production economics and related policy, Wolf informs farmers, agribusinesses and policymakers on financial management, risk programs and animal health through his research and extension programs. His work has shaped discussions on federal dairy policy and livestock disease management. Leadership roles include chair of the New York Milk Market Advisory Council and director of several Cornell outreach programs.

 Honors for librarianship:

• Diana Hackett, senior assistant librarian, Mann Library (CVM), for designing and delivering course-integrated instruction to diverse audiences that helps students navigate the information ecosystem and build advanced research skills. Hackett also contributes to key library committees and advances the field through scholarship and national presentations on the pedagogical impact of librarian-led instruction.

Honors for classified service:

• Angela Shurtleff, employer connections specialist (ILR), for superior performance, creativity and professionalism in managing complex recruiting programs and career fairs while building strong relationships with employers, students and alumni. Shurtleff’s work includes developing a pilot system to track employer partnerships that is the foundation of a broader campuswide effort to streamline engagement.

Honors for professional service:

• Rajni Aneja, managing director of the Cornell Institute for Food Systems in the Department of Food Science (CALS), for inclusive, visionary leadership grounded in integrity and initiative. A connector, Aneja creates new opportunities for students and faculty, from research collaborations to career pathways. She founded the Cornell Food Hackathon, now a nationally recognized platform for innovation.

• Robin Roger, assistant dean of communications (CHE), for exceptional leadership and strategic vision that have strengthened the college’s visibility. Roger has expanded CHE’s media presence, elevating faculty research and community-engaged work through balanced storytelling across platforms. She spearheaded the college’s rebranding and website redesign and served as co-chair of the 2025 CHE Centennial Celebration Committee.
• Ronald Seccia, director of information technology (CVM), for strategic leadership of complex IT operations serving a global campus community, improving service delivery, system reliability and user experience. A trusted advisor to senior leadership, Seccia leads institution-wide initiatives and guides major organizational change.

Honors for scholarship and creative activities:

• Michèle Belot, the Frances Perkins Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and professor of economics (ILR), for influential scholarship in applied microeconomics, particularly experimental research on health, labor and education. A highly prolific scholar, Belot has published extensively in leading economics journals. She uses innovative methods and interdisciplinary approaches to examine behavior and policy, frequently addressing timely issues of public concern, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Laura Goodman, assistant professor at the Baker Institute and in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health (CVM), for establishing an innovative, internationally recognized research program addressing critical public and animal health challenges. Goodman’s work in molecular epidemiology, pathogen genomics, antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease emergence — with focus on applying advanced genomic tools to real-world surveillance — informs federal and state policy and has been recognized with honors including the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence and multiple FDA Honor Awards.

• Kimberly O'Brien, professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences (CHE), for globally influential scholarship in maternal-fetal nutrition, particularly calcium, iron and vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy. O’Brien’s innovative research uses mass spectrometry to study mineral dynamics and targets high-risk maternal populations, emphasizing preventive measures. She also contributes to national nutrition policy and is a dedicated mentor to students and junior faculty, including as a faculty trainer on multiple NIH grants.

• Jonathon Schuldt, professor in the Department of Communication (CALS), for leading contributions on environmental attitudes, public opinion and survey science. Schuldt’s research has shaped environmental communication by examining how language influences public understanding of climate issues, while his work as executive director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research has expanded access to survey data and advanced survey methodology. His former students have gone on to earn competitive fellowships and faculty positions.

Honors for teaching:

• Terence Alexander, senior lecturer in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management (CALS), for exceptional teaching and dedication to student success in managerial economics, microeconomics and his popular BREXIT: UK study trip. Widely praised for his mentorship and compassion, Alexander received the Dyson Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and was selected by a Merrill Presidential Scholar as a teacher of influence.

• Toby Ault, associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences (CALS), for bringing complex climate science to life through clear, engaging teaching while conducting groundbreaking research on climate risks. Ault has also developed innovative educational tools, including helping create the Socratic Chatbot, which integrates into Canvas to generate dialogues and questions from course materials.

• Karen Hirsh, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences (CVM), for exceptional preparation of veterinary students for the technical, ethical and interpersonal demands of professional practice. In foundational and laboratory courses — including Small Animal Euthanasia — Hirsch creates rigorous, responsive learning experiences. Beyond the classroom, she serves as an academic and professional improvement plan coach.

• Lauren Korfine, senior lecturer of psychology (CHE), for creating a rigorous and supportive learning environment that challenges students to think critically and examine new perspectives. As director of undergraduate studies and a dean’s fellow, Korfine has helped develop programs supporting students’ transition to college. Her teaching has been recognized with honors including the Kendall S. Carpenter Memorial Advising Award and multiple selections as a Merrill Presidential Scholar faculty designee.

• Adam Seth Litwin, associate professor of industrial and labor relations (ILR), for creative and engaging approaches to teaching the school’s foundational Introduction to ILR course, making its content applied and personal while fostering community among students. Litwin continually refines his classes through student feedback and received the Aspen Institute’s Ideas Worth Teaching Award for his innovative use of technology in a course on technological change at work.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Horizon Award for Faculty Research and Scholarship recognizes early-career faculty whose scholarly or creative work has achieved significant recognition and shows strong promise for future field-defining impact. This year, Roger Figueroa, assistant professor in social and behavioral science in nutrition (CHE) was among 10 recipients statewide.

Figueroa’s research examines how social services, food assistance programs and food environments influence diet-related chronic disease in low-income and marginalized communities, using qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate nutrition interventions in community settings. A prolific scholar, Figueroa has shared his expertise through policy briefs, op-eds, hearings and media outreach and mentored numerous students and trainees in participatory research, evidence synthesis and implementation science. His work has been recognized with honors such as the Early Career Impact Award from the Federation of Associations in Behavior and Brain Sciences.