Baylor College of Medicine honors educational leaders
Top educational leaders at Baylor College of Medicine were honored at Faculty Awards Day, held yesterday at a ceremony at the College’s historic Cullen Building.
“Your excellence across our mission areas of education, research, patient care and community outreach make our institution what it is. You are the reason I have enjoyed my time here so much,” said Baylor President, CEO and Executive Dean Dr. Paul Klotman.
Presidential Awards
Established in 1999, the Barbara and Corbin J. Robertson, Jr. Presidential Award for Excellence in Education recognizes faculty members who have long-standing, consistent and highly valued contributions to the educational mission of the College. Recipients become members of the Baylor Society of Presidential Educators and receive a crystal award and $10,000.
The 2026 recipients of the Robertson Presidential Award are Dr. Martha Mims, professor of medicine – hematology / oncology, and Dr. V. Reid Sutton, professor of molecular and human genetics. Mims has played a pivotal role in curriculum development and education of students across the health professions at Baylor. Sutton serves as program director for medical genetics residency and fellowship programs and as a career mentor for medical and graduate students.
The 2026 recipients of the McGovern Teaching Awards are Dr. Zaven Sargsyan, associate professor of medicine, for Foundational Sciences, and Dr. Tara Harris, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, for Clinical Sciences. They were awarded by Dr. Gordon Schutze (L) and Dr. Biykem Bozkurt (R)
McGovern Awards
The John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Awards were established in 1986 and are determined by second-, third- and fourth-year medical students and based on outstanding teaching of preclinical, or foundational, and clinical medical school curriculum. The nominees are approved by the Faculty Awards Committee.
The 2026 recipients of the McGovern Teaching Awards are Dr. Zaven Sargsyan, associate professor of medicine, for Foundational Sciences, and Dr. Tara Harris, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, for Clinical Sciences.
Clark Faculty Service Award
Established in 2017, the award honors faculty members whose exemplary service with professionalism has not previously been recognized through an official award by the College. Recipients represent their professions and Baylor’s mission, vision and values at the highest level and have made significant, enduring contributions to the College.
Recipients for 2026 are Dr. Heather Goodman, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Dr. Michelle Lopez, associate professor of pediatrics, Dr. Parth Mehta, associate professor of pediatrics, Dr. Kim Worley, professor of molecular and human genetics, and Dr. Michele York, professor of neurology.
Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Awards
The Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Awards provide an opportunity for Baylor faculty who meet designated standards of quality, quantity and breadth to receive recognition for their sustained exemplary educational contributions across all areas of the College. They were presented this year in four categories: teaching and evaluation, educational leadership, educational research and development of enduring educational materials.
See the full list of Norton Rose Fulbright winners in the Faculty Awards Day program.
In addition, the 2026 Graduating Class Outstanding Faculty Awards were selected by fourth-year medical students and presented to Dr. Rathi Asaithambi, assistant professor of pediatrics, Dr. Ali Khalifa, assistant professor of anesthesiology, Dr. Atul Maheshwari, associate professor of neurology, and Dr. Stephanie Sherman, associate professor of medicine, who is now in the ‘Hall of Fame’ based on number of times to receive the award.
Also recognized were the faculty who were appointed to endowed chairs and professorships: Dr. Mihail Chelu, The W.A. “Tex” and Deborah Moncrief, Jr., Chair; Dr. Jeannie Chin, Vivian L. Smith Endowed Chair in Neuroscience; Dr. Ronald Cotton, Charles H. McCollum, M.D., Endowed Chair in Surgery; Dr. Shawn Groth, David J. Sugarbaker, M.D., Division of Thoracic Surgery Endowed Professorship; Dr. M. Bowes Hamill, Hamill Foundation Chair in Ophthalmology Research; Dr. Na Li, J.S. Abercrombie Chair – Atherosclerosis and Lipoprotein Research; Dr. Nathan Lindquist, Dorothy McGee Endowed Professorship; Dr. Joan Mastrobattista, Russell L. Deter, M.D., and Susan Tipery-Deter Endowed Chair in Fetal Imaging; Dr. Daisuke Nakada, Henry and Emma Meyer Professorship in Molecular Genetics; Dr. Mohamed Othman, Martha Ann and Harold M. Selzman, M.D., Endowed Chair; Dr. Eric Silberfein, Kenneth L. Mattox, M.D., Endowed Professorship; Dr. Aaron Thrift, William T. Butler Chair for Distinguished Faculty; and Dr. Ignatia Van Den Veyver, Henry and Emma Meyer Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Faculty graduates of the Master Teacher Fellowship program also were recognized. They are Dr. Parth Agrawal, Dr. Jonathan Blassingame, Dr. Megan Bullerwell, Dr. Aimee Langley, Dr. Chinedu Out, Dr. Amandi Rhett and Dr. Kevin Tzan.
Baylor also recognized its leaders in clinical excellence. Read more here.