Excellence in Academic Service — 2004

The University Award for Excellence in Academic Service is presented to members of the teaching faculty who have demonstrated leadership and service to the University over a sustained period.

Carolyn MacDonald
Professor Carolyn MacDonald of the Department of Physics joined the University in 1986, and has been an extraordinarily active and dedicated University citizen. She has made sustained high-quality service contributions to all levels of the University and to her discipline. She has been instrumental in tasks that promise to make lasting contributions to the University community, such as her work on the revision of College of Arts and Sciences Bylaws and the revision of the Faculty Bylaws.

In 2000, the CAS faculty elected MacDonald to a three-year term as senator. She has served as chair of the Graduate Academic Council (2001-03) and in that function has participated regularly in Senate Executive Committee meetings. Based on her highly effective performance in diverse roles, earlier this year MacDonald was nominated for Senate Chair and elected to serve during the 2004-05 academic year. As Chair-Elect, she currently serves as the faculty representative to the University Council.

MacDonald’s extraordinary commitment to service is even more amazing in light of her high-level professional attainments in the areas of research and teaching. It must be emphasized that MacDonald is an outstanding scientist who has edited five volumes, including a Handbook of Optics, has published 75 scientific articles in high-quality peer-reviewed journals, and has attracted external funding of nearly $4 million. Furthermore, she is an accomplished teacher and mentor of undergraduate and graduate students. She has both chaired and served on a large number of Ph.D. and master’s committees. With an outstanding role model like MacDonald, it should also not come as a surprise that 15 of her advisees and three of her co-advisees have obtained awards, including honors such as the Presidential Award for Undergraduate Research, the Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, and the University’s Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award.