Faculty/Staff Members Honored with Chancellor's Award

Dr. Dexter L. Criss, assistant professor of chemistry, Dr. Mohamed Djerdjouri, professor of management and international business, and Dr. Michael Morales, assistant professor of psychology are the recipients the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. James Lindgren, professor of history, is the recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity.

Terrence Myers, Jr., staff associate of computing and media services, is the recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service.

The recipients will be honored during the President's Welcome prior to the start of the fall semester.

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Criss joined the SUNY Plattsburgh faculty in 1999. He received his bachelor's degree from Delta State University in 1988 and his master's and doctorate from Mississippi State University in 1994 and 1999.

"Dr. Criss is a gifted and talented teacher who transcends normal boundaries in his teaching life," said President John Ettling. "His activities on campus and in the community make him a dedicated and committed faculty member who is above the norm." 

Criss teaches organic chemistry and is the lead author of five publications and 13 professional presentations. He has received numerous awards and recognition from various organizations including Sigma Xi (national scientific research honors society), Who's Who Among Teachers in American Colleges and Universities and Xi Sigma Pi (national forestry honors society). He is also a member of the American Chemical Society. On campus, he is the director of the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir and the advisor of the Chemistry Club and the African Unity Organization.

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Djerdjouri came to SUNY Plattsburgh in 1999 as associate professor of management.

He was promoted to the rank of professor in 2003. Prior to beginning his tenure at SUNY Plattsburgh, Djerdjouri was a professor at Laurentian University in Canada and at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Universite des Sciences et de la Technologic Algiers in Algeria and he received his master's and doctorate degrees from Case Western Reserve University.

Djerdjouri is actively involved in research and scholarship and has published eight articles in refereed journals since 2000. He has nine authored/co-authored refereed articles in proceeding, one book, one edited proceedings publication and he has presented several papers/abstracts at conferences.

"Dr. Djerdjouri is active, engaged, thoughtful and analytical," said Ettling. "In his relatively short time at SUNY Plattsburgh, he has emerged as a highly skilled leader and teacher-scholar."

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Morales also joined the faculty of SUNY Plattsburgh in 1999. He received his undergraduate (1989), graduate (1992) and doctorate (1995) degrees from the University of California, Riverside.

"Dr. Morales models the very best we seek to develop as teacher scholars within the community at SUNY Plattsburgh," said Ettling.

Morales has given 20 conference presentations at national and international conferences, with several of these presentations co-authored by his students.
He is the lead author on 5 of 8 articles appearing in refereed journals, is a co-author on a book chapter, and he and his students have been active participants in Showcase Week at SUNY Plattsburgh with 8 presentations.

He has also received numerous awards and recognitions including the Outstanding Adult Student Educator Award and named among the Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

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Lindgren has been a member of the SUNY Plattsburgh faculty for the past 20 years. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Dayton in 1972 and 1977. He received his doctorate from the College of William and Mary in 1984.

"Dr. Lindgren is a rigorous and thorough teacher," said Ettling. "He clearly meets and exceeds the selection criteria for the Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity Award."

Lindgren has recently completed his three-year term as chair of the history department. He is the author of two books and is currently working on a third book. He is also the author of 19 published or about to be published essays and 16 book reviews. He gives lectures and presentations across the country.

 

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Myers joined the professional staff at SUNY Plattsburgh as the Helpdesk/Residential Network (ResNet) coordinator in August 1998. He received a bachelor's in computer science from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1994.

"Mr. Myers is one of those unique individuals for whom this award was intended," said Ettling. "He is an extraordinary professional who reaches out to work with others to get the job accomplished no matter how small or large."

In his position at SUNY Plattsburgh, Myers is responsible for the primary computing support help desk, software and hardware support across campus and supervising student and professional technicians.

He also manages the campus computer replacement program and ResNet services for Web-driven databases. Myers' operations cover more than 5,000 computers for students, faculty and staff.

  
 
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