Marine science professor Emmett Duffy was among 12 educators honored by Gov. Bob McDonnell on Tuesday as recipients of the Outstanding Faculty Member award.
Duffy, a professor in William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science, was recognized for excellence in teaching, research and public service in an awards ceremony at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. The awards program is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
“The academic work of these 12 outstanding educators benefits not only the students at their respective institutions, but all Virginians,” McDonnell said. “Their scholarship is well-known and respected by colleagues throughout the Commonwealth and across the globe. These educators should be commended for their dedication and commitment to training the next generation of Virginia leaders.”
Duffy is the fifth VIMS professor to receive the award, and is among 36 W&M professors who have been honored since the awards’ inception in 1987. The college leads the state in award-winners, followed closely by the University of Virginia, which has 32 faculty winners.
Duffy joined the VIMS faculty in 1994. He is currently researching the importance of biodiversity in the Chesapeake Bay and other marine ecosystems worldwide. In 2011, he became the inaugural winner of Japan’s Kobe Award in Marine Science, and in 2010, he received a three-year $728,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to establish a global network of experiments.
“It’s a high honor to receive this award—and very humbling, following in the footsteps of the distinguished previous recipients,” he told W&M News in January. “I also appreciate the recognition of how important our work at VIMS is in preparing the next generation of leaders in environmental science, and in providing the applied knowledge needed to meet the challenges facing society.”
The Outstanding Faculty Awards are being made through a $75,000 grant from The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.
