By Brent Lyday
Commerce – Dr. Carlos Bertulani and Dr. Kent Montgomery were recently recognized by Texas A&M University-Commerce with faculty awards for their teaching efforts in the department of physics and astronomy. Senior physics and computer science major Don May also was awarded the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship by the U.S. Department of Defense.
"We are very pleased to see our colleagues and students win these prestigious awards and scholarships," said Dr. Bao-An Li, physics and astronomy department head. "Their achievements reflect very well on the high quality of faculty, students and programs in the department of physics and astronomy."
Bertulani, associate professor of physics, was acknowledged with the H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award and Montgomery, planetarium director, was selected for the Paul W. Barrus Distinguished Faculty Award.
"These are among the highest awards the university gives to faculty annually," Li said. "We are very proud of them."
The faculty awards luncheon is set for Tuesday, April 13 at 11:30 p.m. in the Sam Rayburn Student Center.
May will receive a cash award paid annually at a rate of $25,000 with payments distributed monthly as he completes academic pursuits and/or internships under the program. He also will receive full tuition and approved related educational fees, health insurance funding, book allowance of up to $1,000 per award year, internship travel expenses, and orientation travel expenses.
"To our best knowledge, this is the first time a student from A&M-Commerce has won this prestigious award," Li said. "It is proper recognition of the extraordinary efforts made by these individuals in teaching, research and learning."