Honors Link

Media Contact: Kevin Stoller, 541.737.6425

Source: Tara Williams, 541.737.6412

01/15/2015

The Honors College (HC) at Oregon State has named Jon Lewis from the School of Writing, Literature and Film and Robert Paasch of the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering as HC Eminent Professors for 2015.

HC Eminent Professor awards recognize the contributions of faculty members to the education and mentorship of students in the Honors College.

“Dr. Paasch and Dr. Lewis combine outstanding research credentials with a commitment to engaging undergraduates both in the classroom and out,” says HC Associate Dean Tara Williams. “Their history of involvement with the HC is emblematic of the unique opportunities the college provides high-achieving students at Oregon State.”

An internationally-recognized scholar of American film, Professor Jon Lewis has taught in the Honors College for over a decade. His HC courses have covered censorship and the modern American cinema, and in recent years, they have offered Honors students the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive catalog project sponsored by the American Film Institute, which will document every feature-length film produced in the United States since 1893. A prolific writer in his field, Dr. Lewis has also demonstrated a consistent dedication to outreach, both on campus and in the broader community: he has been a featured guest in documentaries and on the radio, and he has made regular appearances as a public speaker around the state. In recognition of his excellence as a scholar and educator, Jon Lewis was selected by a panel of peers as an HC Eminent Professor for 2015.

Boeing Professor of Mechanical Engineering Robert Paasch has been one of the most active mentors of Honors students since the founding of the HC in 1995. He has served on the faculty committee for 17 Honors theses since 2000, acting as primary mentor 13 times – no faculty member has presided over more Honors research projects in the last two years. Since his arrival at Oregon State in 1990, Dr. Paasch has been recognized for his mentorship of both graduate and undergraduate students and for his teaching. He is a two-time recipient of the College of Engineering’s Austin Paul Award for outstanding faculty service to students and a four-time recipient of the Pi Tau Sigma Outstanding Professor of Mechanical Engineering Award, and he has received the Oregon State University Faculty Teaching Excellence Award and been named Faculty Advisor of the Year. In honor of his dedicated support for Honors students and their research, a faculty panel selected Robert Paasch as the 2014 Sandy and Elva Sanders Eminent Professor in the Honors College.

The HC Eminent Professor awards are made possible through the generosity of Honors College donors, particularly Ruth Beyer and Joseph (Sandy) and Cheryl Sanders.