2026 CAS Awards

Caitlin “Cady” Steinberg (CAS’12, Wheelock’18), Administrative Manager for History and African American & Black
Diaspora Studies, was awarded the 2026 John S. Perkins Award.

Philip Nelson Haberkern, Associate Professor, Department of History

Professor Haberkern’s colleagues in the departments of history and religion
describe him as “one of the most innovative, effective, and beloved teachers on our campus.” His signature course, “Game of Thrones: Power and Politics in Pre-Modern Europe,” is among the most popular in the College and a model for how to connect students to worlds they might otherwise find remote. One of his students writes, “The class is so fun, and his passion is so infectious, it makes you ridiculously engaged with the actual history.” He is a go-to expert for faculty and graduate teaching fellows alike, leading pedagogy workshops and sharing advice on everything from course design and grading to cultivating creativity and handling difficult moments in the classroom. For his inspired teaching, curricular innovations, and work in the service of others, the College honors him with this award.

Daniel G. Erker, Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics

Whether Professor Erker is teaching about advanced quantitative statistics or the linguistic structure of Spanish, his courses are invariably robustly enrolled—and with good reason. His students rave about his teaching, writing things like “LOVED IT”, “best class ever”, and “Professor Erker is… able to capture your attention, even if you don’t want [him] to!” His pedagogical innovations have refreshed and enriched the linguistics curriculum, particularly through his quantitative linguistics curriculum and his project-based sociolinguistics course, where undergraduate and graduate students work together to design and execute original research projects. The first cohort of doctoral students in the Department of Linguistics created their own trophy to recognize him, as there is no standard internal teaching award in the Department. For his commitment to his students, his passion for his subject, and his transformative pedagogical innovations, the College honors him with this award.

James Feigenbaum, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics

A hallmark of Professor Feigenbaum’s teaching is his commitment to introducing students to current research in the field, even at the undergraduate level. His students celebrate him as a devoted teacher and mentor who makes complex material accessible and cares deeply about his students. One student writes that he is “brilliant, very qualified, and clearly passionate about what he teaches”. Another shares “LOVE THIS CLASS… The material is SO interesting and so incredibly relevant… I would teach what I learned to anybody who would listen.” He is in high demand as a PhD adviser, and has directed dissertations for, or served on the committees of, twenty-two PhD students. All three of his current doctoral PhDs were among his nominators for this award, praising his scholarly guidance and personal support. For his excellence in teaching, the College honors him with this award.

The Distinction in First Year Undergraduate Education, reflects the crucial importance of supporting our students’ transitions from high school, and enabling them to lay strong academic foundations for deeply engaged learning and high achievement throughout their college careers.

Jessica L. Bozek, Master Lecturer in the Writing Program

Jessica’s first-year writing seminars on such topics as documentary poetry, political poetry, race, and attention are ambitious, creative and humane. One of her first-year students wrote that “being able to hear from so many perspectives and different understandings of the world was really powerful and really had an impact on the way that I was perceiving what we were discussing.” Beyond her first-year teaching, she develops innovative pedagogy for the Writing Program. Most recently, she co-developed a Community Writing course in which students prepare for, teach, and participate in a six-week Life Writing class alongside seniors at the Brookline Senior Center. She guides her students to see themselves as participants in larger public conversations. For her extraordinary contributions to first-year undergraduate teaching, the College honors her with this award.

With the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Education, we recognize a member of our faculty whose commitment and contributions to graduate teaching, mentoring and/or program development have significantly raised the quality and impact of post-baccalaureate training in their disciplinary or interdisciplinary fields.

Rosella M. Cappella Zielinski, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science

Professor Capella Zielinski was nominated for this award not just by her department chair, who describes her as “a linchpin of our PhD program”, but also by over a dozen political science graduate students, who laud her as “a wonderful, committed educator who has built a supportive culture of learning in our department as a classroom instructor, as Director of Graduate Studies, and as an advisor and mentor to many students.” She cares about the personal wellbeing of her department’s graduate students as much as she cares about their professional development, because for her, they are inseparable. Through inventive course design that centers students’ own research aims to starting a series of professional development workshops, she strives to help graduate students grow as scholars and individuals. She is now overseeing a new team-taught pedagogy seminar that prepares PhD students to teach independently and has been working to bring this course to other departments. For all the ways she helps graduate students thrive, the College honors her with this award.

With the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching, we honor the very important contributions of a part-time colleague to the educational mission of the College.

Liam J. Meyer, Lecturer, Writing Program

Dr. Meyer is a talented and dedicated educator widely admired for his quiet kindness, professionalism, and creativity as a teacher and colleague. In his writing seminars, he puts Shakespearean texts into contexts and conversations that bridge cultural and linguistic differences. This intentional approach has encouraged students to grow as thinkers, researchers, and communicators. He is also a former consultant in the program’s Writing Center, and he frequently recommends his own students as peer consultants. His students thus continue his legacy of offering thoughtful and sensitive feedback to those who seek their help. For his exceptional contributions to the Writing Program and his unwavering commitment to offering outstanding learning experiences to generations of Boston University students, the College honors Dr. Myer with this award.

The Templeton Awards showcase CAS advising at its best. Steve Jarvi’s annual call for nominations from graduating seniors helps identify what students need, what they value, and how skilled and dedicated faculty advisors have made a positive difference in their lives. Recognizing that effective “advising” is not limited to just the formal role of an academic advisor, the College emphasized the value of mentorship when soliciting nominations for the advising awards from the class of 2023.

Yoon Sun Yang, Associate Professor, World Languages & Literatures

Academic advising can be especially effective and rewarding when it is a long term endeavor and that is certainly the case for one Yoon Sun’s nominators who first made contact as a high school senior. The nominator mentioned that “I had no experience with the Korean language and had not even heard of Comparative Literature until I started looking into colleges. When I emailed Professor Yang as an admitted student, she offered to schedule a zoom meeting with me and go over the major requirements and the classes I should take before course registration in the summer.  From that point on, Professor Yang has been my advisor and one of my biggest supporters at Boston University. Currently I am writing my senior honors thesis with Professor Yang, and while I am stressed out under the weight of her expectations, I know they are only this high and heavy because she truly believes I am capable of meeting and exceeding them.”

Yoon Sun’s experience with this student is what makes faculty advising special. As the University works to expand the ranks of professional advisors, a decision I agree with, I encourage departments to explore ways that will encourage students to forge meaningful relationships with Faculty beyond the classroom. 

Lucia Pastorino, Master Lecturer, Neuroscience

One of Lucia’s nominators stated that “She has made me feel supported and helped me get everything I need for class registration and graduation requirements. I have been very stressed about getting the courses, but she has been great at helping me navigate it all.“  Another added that Dr. Pastorino is “exceptionally organized, incredibly supportive, and always reliable. I have never had to second-guess my graduation requirements because I trust that she has everything under control, and she has always
guided me correctly. Beyond being outstanding at her job, she is also genuinely a pleasure to talk to.”

Todd Idson, Master Lecturer, Economics

One of Todd’s nominators stated that “Professor Idson has been incredibly supportive in my academic development. In particular, he took the time to understand my background and goals, and generously wrote me a detailed and thoughtful recommendation letter for my graduate applications. His guidance and encouragement during that process meant a great deal to me and gave me more confidence in my academic path.”

Although that sometimes means saying no to a student, Todd always takes his responsibility seriously and carefully considers every petition, exception and special request and that ability to treat each student individually, despite being an especially large department, is just another reason that Todd is deserving of this recognition.

Scott Enos, Business Manager for the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Research administration requires careful attention to detail, deep familiarity with sponsor requirements, and the ability to guide faculty and staff through complex regulatory processes. Scott approaches all of this with consistency and integrity. Scott actively supports and develops his team, creating an environment where staff feel empowered to ask questions, cross-train, solve problems, and build their expertise. Scott’s steady leadership ensures that the department operates efficiently even during high-pressure periods such as proposal deadlines, contract negotiations and the current political climate. [Scott’s] expertise extends beyond the boundaries of the department as faculty and staff from across the University regularly seek Scott’s guidance. Scott listens carefully helps break down administrative silos reduces administrative burden for faculty and staff seeks input from Scott’s team before implementing changes builds trust to promote a sense of collective ownership over improvements and contributes to a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Kimberly Huskins, IED Administrative Manager for the Institute for Economic Development in the Department of Economics

Kimberly has been nothing less than a force of nature for the Institute and its dual mission of fostering and disseminating cutting-edge research in developmental economics and related fields; and servicing the Economic Department’s graduate programs, current-student support, and alumni outreach. Kimberly navigates all aspects of her job with skill, initiative, and incredible cheer. Whether patiently explaining the arcana of university budgeting to a newbie Director, helping a fallen photographer who has tripped over a video cable at a distinguished lecture event, or staying late before her long drive home when a conference runs overtime, she does everything with a smile. Her contributions have been particularly critical during periods of significant organizational strain, including an abrupt leadership transition. Yet, Kimberly ensured continuity of operations across all Institute activities and has been incredibly professional, supportive, and empathetic…setting the bar high for what it means to be a compassionate and helpful team member. She exemplifies what it means to be an exceptional staff member.

Audrey Kurtz, Senior Staff Assistant, Writing Program

As the front-desk face of the Writing Program, Audrey handles a wide range of clerical, communications, and administrative competencies with remarkable confidence. These often-invisible efforts help the Writing Program function smoothly day after day, enhancing the experience of the thousands of students enrolled in Writing courses each semester. Audrey communicates with clarity and professionalism—and also with warmth, approaching students not simply as tasks to manage but as people who deserve care. Audrey performs their responsibilities at an outstanding level while also strengthening the relationships that help the Writing Program and the wider Boston University community thrive. Audrey helped publish a revitalized faculty newsletter and administered a successful Celebration of Multilingual Writing event that was attended by hundreds of students and the broader BU community. The event was a success because Audrey handled all the difficult work behind the scenes, keeping everything organized and making sure everyone felt like they belonged. This is not just administrative work, it is how you build a real community. Audrey’s work is often quiet and behind the scenes, but it is exactly what makes our campus stronger.

Michaela McSweeney, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Philosophy

As one nominator put it, Michaela has “altered students’ trajectories, protected vulnerable members of the community, strengthened institutional mechanisms for accountability, and consistently made herself available where she was most needed.” Serving as Associate Chair, organizing graduate student town halls, chairing scholarship and hiring committees, and establishing the department’s Helpful Interpersonal Point Person (HIPPO) are just a few examples of the ways Michaela has contributed to the Department of Philosophy’s welcoming and intellectually vibrant community. Nominators noted Michaela’s energetic and compassionate mentorship as “transformative.” Her students feel genuinely recognized and supported, both academically and personally.

Jessica Martin, PhD candidate in Biological Anthropology

Jessica was selected in recognition of her outstanding contributions to community building and mentorship within and beyond the CAS community. As one nominator noted, “Jessica demonstrates a remarkable capacity to connect individuals across institutional, generational, and cultural boundaries. She
facilitates Boston Public School students’ participation in CAS classrooms and laboratories; supports graduates, undergraduates, and high school trainees as they develop as scientists; and establishes mentoring networks that persist well beyond the duration of formal programs.” Jessica is unable to attend today’s ceremony as she is currently in South Africa, engaged in fieldwork, fostering partnerships with North-West University colleagues, and supervising a BU undergraduate during their initial field experience.

Grace Hymel, Assistant Director of the CAS Experiential Learning Connector

Grace has engaged undergraduate students from all divisions within CAS in the EL Connector’s community through initiatives such as tabling, workshops, résumé reviews, site visits, internship courses, summer internship scholarships, and related programs. As a result, undergraduate awareness of the Connector and its services have increased substantially. She leads a team of undergraduate peer mentors, with one describing Grace as “embodying the kind of leadership that transforms a workplace into a true community.” Grace’s mentorship produces a multiplier effect throughout the College: undergraduate peer mentors model her example and apply these practices in their own mentoring and consultations with peers.

Josephine Perl (CAS’26), Philosophy

 C Vega, Administrative Coordinator in the Core Curriculum

Liza Sulkin, PhD Student, Linguistics

Liza Sulkin’s scholarly work focuses on the speech of lesbian, bisexual and straight women, addressing major gaps in linguistic research and bringing visibility to historically underrepresented populations. Her findings on queer women’s speech patterns represent a groundbreaking contribution to the field.
Another example of her commitment to inclusion and equity is through her role as Secretary of the BU chapter of Out in STEM (oSTEM), where she fosters connection and support for LGBTQIA+ students across disciplines. She has also made substantial contributions to the CAS community as a Teaching Fellow, in which she is recognized for her deep commitment to student support and inclusive learning, consistently going above and beyond to create an accessible learning environment for all students to thrive.

Undergraduate senior in Psychology, Ravienne Hodgson

African American and Black Diaspora Studies — Charlot Valerio

American Studies — HB Bielawa

Anthropology — Poppy Livingstone

Archaeology — Jessica Buckley

Architectural Studies — Bowen Supple

Astronomy — Zhihao Cheng

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — Sarah Kornfeld

Biology — Maria Jezabel Lopez Gil

Chemistry — Arnon Ronsiri

Cinema and Media Studies — William Vail

Classical Studies — Henry Chuang

Computer Science — Mutiraj Laksanawisit

Earth & Environment — Logan Dev Rajah

Economics — You (Ellie) Wang

English — Ellen Moth

History — Riley Minns

History of Art & Architecture — Caitlyn Bains

Linguistics — Joshua Roberts

Marine Science — Hanna Busby

Mathematics & Statistics — Olivia Hu

Medical Sciences — Briana Le

Neuroscience — Shaoning Peng

Philosophy — Josephine Perl

Physics — Hsin-Yuan Wang

Political Science — Bana Conde

Psychological & Brain Sciences — Salwa Jaller Chagui

Religion — Shengyi Huang

Romance Studies — Victoria Erdman

Sociology — Zoe Solberg

World Languages & Literatures — John Osmond

Award for Writing Excellence in the Humanities in Honor of Robert E. Charm

Author: Juliet Feldman

Gregory Hudson Award for Writing Excellence in the Humanities

Author: Leila Elayan

Michael A. Sassano III and Christopher M. Sassano Award for Writing Excellence in the Social Sciences

Author: Joseph Raymond

Francis Bacon Award for Writing Excellence in the Natural Sciences

Author: Aidan Kieffer

Alumni Award for Writing Excellence in Mathematics & Computational Sciences

Author: Reetom Gangopadhyay