The Association of Former Students (AFS) at Texas A&M University has awarded six College of Arts and Sciences faculty members the 2025 University Distinguished Achievement Awards. This award honors professionals who have exhibited the highest standards of excellence at Texas A&M.
Those honorees from Texas A&M Arts and Sciences are:
Graduate Mentoring (two awards given university-wide)
- François P. Gabbaï, Distinguished Professor, Arthur E. Martell Chair of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry
Research (five awards given university-wide)
- James Batteas, Regents Professor, D. Wayne Goodman Professor of Chemistry, Director of NSF Center for the Mechanical Control of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry
- Xiaohong Liu, Reta A. Haynes Chair in Geosciences, Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences
Teaching (10 given university-wide)
- Asha Rao ’96, Instructional Professor, Assistant Department Head for Academic Affairs, Department of Biology
- Linda Radzik, Associate Department Head, Professor, Department of Philosophy
- Sara DiCaglio, Assistant Professor, Department of English
- Soon Mi Lim ’06, Instructional Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
This year marks the awards’ 70th anniversary of AFS and Texas A&M honoring the most deserving faculty and staff members with the university-level Distinguished Achievement Awards. The rigorous selection process, chosen by a campus-wide committee of faculty, staff, students and former students, chooses the awardees for teaching; research; individual student engagement; graduate mentoring; extension, outreach, continuing education and professional development; administration; and staff support.
Each recipient will receive a monetary gift, an engraved watch and a certificate, all thanks to the donors of AFS. Recipients will be honored at the Faculty Affairs Spring Awards Ceremony on April 25 in the Memorial Student Center’s Bethancourt Ballroom.
View the full list of recipients and read about the nomination process on the Texas A&M Faculty Affairs website.