Kent State awarded three professors Tuesday the 2013 Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award.

A panel of 18 judges from 16 different departments granted the awards based on the quality of research and scholarship accomplished by each professor and his or her impact on society.

Maxwell said this year, nominations were taken from students, staff, emeritus, faculty and alumni from Dec. 19 to Feb. 12. All Kent State professors were eligible to be nominated.

Grant McGimpsey, vice president for research, said after all the nominations were submitted, the panel of judges reviewed the work the professors had accomplished and chose these three professors because of the extensive research they had done in their fields.

Jim Maxwell, the marketing and public relations communications specialist, said the Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award is based on the research and publications that these particular professors have accomplished over the course of their career, not just what they have accomplished this particular year.

“The award presents a wide reach among the Kent Campuses. We have members of the psychology department, school of art and the geology department,” said Maxwell. “It’s great that we also recognized a regional campus researcher this year.”

The following are the 2013 award recipients:

Michael Loderstedt, professor of art

Loderstedt said he is currently working on art that considers fracking in the west.

Katherine Rawson, associate professor of psychology

Rawson said she has been exploring ways to enhance student learning since she began graduate school in 1999.

Carrie Schweitzer, professor of geology at Kent State Stark

Schweitzer said she is currently working on a long-term diversity project that shows how shrimp and lobsters from China have changed over the years.

“I am pleased to be receiving this award,” Schweitzer said. “It goes to show that if you’re a regional campus professor and you have a lot of support from your department, then receiving an award like this is possible.”

All three award winners said they began their research before being hired at Kent State, but they were able to go deeper in their research with the help of their departments and Kent State students.

The Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award is a continuation of the Distinguished Scholar Award. Previous winners of the Distinguished Scholar Award and The Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award are not eligible to be re-nominated.

Contact Cassandra Beard at [email protected].