Conference of Southern Graduate Schools Selects Baylor Professor For Achievement Award

January 9, 2008

by Frank Raczkiewicz

For the second consecutive year, a Baylor University professor has been prominently recognized with the New Scholars Achievement Award from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, which includes all major graduate schools in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

The CSGS selected Dr. Ian Gravagne, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Baylor, as the recipient of the 2008 Achievement Award for New Scholars in Math, Physical Sciences and Engineering.

"Having back-to-back award winners is remarkable and it demonstrates our commitment to build a top-tier teaching and research infrastructure here at Baylor," said Dr. Randall O'Brien, executive vice president and provost at Baylor. "Dr. Gravagne is exactly the kind of professor Baylor seeks to hire. Not only is he a well-published, externally-funded researcher, he's a dynamic, enthusiastic teacher."

The New Scholars award recognizes scholarly achievement by a faculty member of a CSGS institution who has completed the terminal degree within the past six years. A cash award will be presented to Gravagne at the 2008 CSGS meeting in Austin on Feb. 24.

A prolific researcher, 11 of Gravagne's 23 papers have been published since arriving at Baylor in 2002. He has been awarded three grants from the National Science Foundation and has received funding for an industrial research project and several educationally-related activities. He also has one patent pending.

"I am humbled because my meager successes trace their origins to many other people and organizations that the award does not publicly recognize," Gravagne said. "These include faithful senior colleagues in several departments across campus, a creative research team, hard-working graduate students, my ever-patient family and, of course, Baylor for having the faith to give me my first academic job."

Last year, the CSGS awarded Dr. Richard Russell, assistant professor of English at Baylor, the New Scholars award in the humanities. Russell, an expert in Anglo-Irish literature, 20th century British literature and intellectual history, has authored more than three dozen articles and was recognized as an Outstanding Professor at Baylor in 2003.

For more information, contact Dr. Gravagne at (254) 710-7303.