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At its annual Celebration of Research, East Tennessee State University highlighted a record-breaking year in research achievements across the campus and introduced five new awards to honor faculty and staff who have made outstanding contributions to advancing research at the university.

“We wanted to recognize the important research happening across all of our colleges and disciplines,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “These awards recognize our accomplished research staff and faculty who are making a significant impact in their fields. These new awards honor their work.”

The winners of the inaugural Celebration of Research Awards include:

– The Distinguished Research Staff Award was presented to Sandra Laws, assistant archivist in the Archives of Appalachia, for her work not only assisting researchers by connecting them with information in the archives but for her  extensive research ranging from ethnographic studies of railroad employees to quilting practices in southern Appalachia, and more. She recently edited a book titled “Appalachia to Dessau: Letters of a Tank Commander in WWII” that has been accepted for publication.
– Dr. Brian Maxson, professor in the Department of History, earned the Creative Arts & Humanities Scholar Award. Maxson is a leading scholar of the Italian Renaissance and has published numerous books, articles, reviews and chapters in this field. Some of the world’s leading universities and organizations have funded his research, and he has been invited to lecture at universities around the world. He has also been appointed to several significant positions within the field of medieval, Renaissance and early modern studies
– For his scholarship that enhances the understanding of clinical and educational practices in physical therapy, Dr. Michael Bourassa, associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, earned the Outstanding Faculty Scholar Award. Bourassa has demonstrated remarkable productivity in research through a robust portfolio of peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and collaborative research. In addition, he has played a pivotal role in mentoring future clinicians and researchers through his leadership of the Orthopaedic and Sports Residency and Manual Therapy Fellowship programs at ETSU.
– Dr. Ashana Puri, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, earned the Early Career Scholar Award. This award recognizes her exceptional contributions to the field of pharmaceutical sciences and drug delivery systems. Since joining Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy in 2019, she has established a research lab focused on topical and transdermal drug delivery systems, with a commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing therapeutic efficacy. Her work has been featured in high-impact journals such as the International Journal of Pharmaceutics and the Journal of Controlled Release.
– ETSU presented the Public Impact and Engagement Award to Dr. Ginger Christian, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Christian has been a driving force behind several transformative initiatives that have significantly improved educational outcomes and strengthened community ties, including her leadership in the Trauma-Informed Schools project in Unicoi County. Through this project, she has provided support to educators by equipping them with the tools and knowledge to create trauma-sensitive environments.

“When you look across the research portfolio at ETSU over the past year, we’re making significant progress toward our vision of being a premier R2 research university. Tonight, we celebrated that progress,” said Dr. Nick Hagemeier, vice provost for Research and chief research officer. “We are extremely proud of these gains, which are attributed to the exceptional scholars who have created a culture that values and celebrates research, scholarship and creative activity at ETSU.”