Huda Akil, an internationally known neuroscientist whose research has helped reveal the fundamental nature of anxiety, depression, pain and addiction, is the recipient of the 2025 Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science. Akil is the Gardner C. Quarton Distinguished University Professor of Neurosciences, Gardner C. Quarton Collegiate Professor of Neurosciences in the Molecular and Behavioral Neurosciences Institute, professor of psychiatry in the Medical School and research professor in the Michigan Neuroscience Institute. Established by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2006, the Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science recognizes scientists of national reputation who have a stellar record of research accomplishments and are known for mentoring others in science. Two previous honorees subsequently received Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine and chemistry. “I am deeply honored to receive the Vanderbilt Prize and to be in the company of the remarkable scientists who have received it before me,” Akil said. “I am especially happy that this award recognizes not only scientific contributions but mentoring.” As a recipient of the Vanderbilt Prize, Akil will receive an honorarium, present a special seminar, to be announced later, and mentor a Vanderbilt Prize Scholar, a graduate student in biomedical sciences in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Matthew L. Boulton, Pearl L Kendrick Collegiate Professor of Global Public Health and senior associate dean for Global Public Health at the School of Public Health, received the 2025 Scientific Excellence Award from the American College of Preventive Medicine Board of Regents. The Scientific Excellence Award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements, contributions and excellence of a preventive medicine physician. Boulton has authored almost 200 peer-reviewed publications, served as editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine for the last 12 years, and made lasting contributions as senior editor and contributing author to the 16th edition of Maxcy-Rosenau-Last Public Health and Preventive Medicine, considered the standard text in the field for public health physicians over the last century.

The Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences at the University of Passau (Sozial-und Bildungswissenschaftliche Fakultaet der Universität Passau) in Passau, Germany, awarded Andrei S. Markovits an honorary doctorate (Dr. Phil.) on May 14. The official ceremony will happen in late October or early November of this year. Markovits is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor Emeritus, Karl W. Deutsch Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Comparative Politics and German Studies, professor emeritus of Germanic languages and literatures, of sociology, and of political science in LSA. This is Markovits’ second honorary doctorate, following one he received from the Leuphana University in Lueneburg, Germany on July 4, 2007.

Matthew Solomon’s book “Méliès Boots: Footwear and Film Manufacturing in Second Industrial Revolution Paris” (University of Michigan Press, 2022), recently won the 2024 Katherine Singer Kovács Book Award from the Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Solomon is a professor of film, television and media in LSA. The award is one of the most prestigious in the field of cinema and media studies, and the award was presented at the 2025 Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference in Chicago. The award-winning book was selected from among nearly a hundred books in competition published by top university presses. “Méliès Boots” was published Open Access and is free to download online.

The School of Social Work was recently named a recipient of the Council on Social Work Education’s annual Professional Awards. These awards are among CSWE’s highest honors and recognize outstanding educators for significant contributions to social work education. The awards will be presented at CSWE’s 71st Annual Conference on Oct. 23-26, 2025, in Denver. The School of Social Work will receive the Field Education/Practicum Excellence in Innovation Award, honoring the school’s Office of Field Education. In a release, the CSWE said the office “embraces a transformative approach to disability equity by seeking to address the challenges and barriers faced by students with disabilities and by integrating accessible and inclusive practices within its field education program. The office coordinates over 1,200 placements across the United States, collaborating with more than 1,500 dedicated field instructors and task supervisors. They have spearheaded an approach that integrates disability-affirming practices into all aspects of the program. These efforts include policy updates, digital accessibility enhancements, and student, agency, and field faculty support.” The council highlighted the school’s Anti-Ableist Practices for Field Students: Understanding Social Work Ethics of Accessibility and Disability Social Justice training, aimed at equipping field instructors with the essential skills to support diverse learning needs. “This initiative reflects a broader commitment to anti-ableism, providing valuable insights into creating inclusive environments and fostering disability justice,” the release said.

For turning influential turbine research into a powerful educational platform, Karen A. Thole has received the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ 2025 Kate Gleason Award. Thole, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering and of aerospace engineering, is honored “for providing students unique educational experiences involving large-scale experiments, mentoring them for positions in industry, government, and academia.” Given annually to a distinguished woman in engineering, the Kate Gleason Award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurial success or a lifetime of achievement, according to ASME. It is named after Kate Gleason, the first woman to be a full member of ASME. Thole is the first woman to serve as dean of the College of Engineering, and was the first female head of the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering — a role she held for 18 years beginning in 2006. She has also held key leadership positions within ASME’s International Gas Turbine Institute. “Kate Gleason’s groundbreaking accomplishments as a builder, innovator, leader, community advocate, and engineer stand the test of time, and I am honored to be recognized with this award in her name,” Thole said.

Kentaro Toyama has earned a 2025 Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer–Human Interaction Societal Impact Award. Toyama is the W K Kellogg Professor of Community Information and professor of information in the School of Information. The award recognizes exceptional achievement across multiple categories, including research excellence, practical impact and societal contributions. Selection for the award is highly competitive, drawing from a community of over 5,000 SIGCHI members. Each awardee must demonstrate remarkable contributions to the field of human-computer interaction. “Receiving this recognition is a real honor,” Toyama said. “ACM SIGCHI is a terrific community both because it’s so richly interdisciplinary and because it serves as the conscience of computing research.” Toyama’s research explores how digital technology can and cannot contribute to community development and social change. He is a fellow of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT, and author of “Geek Heresy: Rescuing Social Change from the Cult of Technology.” At UMSI, Toyama has published numerous articles on AI’s impact on society, digital storytelling to support global maternal health and applications of critical race theory to human-computer interaction. He has been a critical voice in the emergence of AI and a regular writer for The Conversation, commenting on the challenges and opportunities of AI, and the need for regulation.  

— Submit requests for faculty or staff Accolades to recordeditors@umich.edu. Please attach a digital photo if you wish for one to be included.