Academics Accolades Faculty and Staff

Two from Pitt State named Faculty of the Year recipients by state board

19 September 2024

Two faculty who students say have made a profound difference at Pittsburg State University were named Faculty of the Year recipients by the Kansas Board of Regents in Topeka on Thursday.

Both also were named Outstanding Faculty earlier this year by the Pitt State Student Government Association.

Christine Brodsky (Biology) and Kristen Livingston (Communication) are among eight faculty members from across Kansas to be named in the new program, which recognizes the outstanding contributions of faculty at state universities to teaching, student success, research, and Kansas communities.

“These two faculty members are tremendous representatives of Pitt State,” said President Dan Shipp, who was present when the two were approved and recognized by the board. Their leadership is exactly how we are making life better through education at Pitt State.”

The board asked the faculty senates at each state university to develop criteria for selecting Faculty of the Year. Each faculty senate was invited to choose and submit two nominees. Four faculty senates submitted the eight nominees for the board’s consideration, which the board then approved during its September meeting.

“We’re proud of their accomplishments, but we’re also grateful that they chose to be part of our university and dedicate their time and expertise to teaching our students,” Shipp said. “Our little corner of the world is a better place because they’re part of it!”

Faculty of Year

Faculty Senate President Norman Philipp, University President Dan Shipp, Faculty of the Year Award recipients Kristen Livingston and Christine Brodsky, Provost Susan Bon, and Executive of University Affairs Emily McElwain following the award presentation at the Kansas Board of Regents meeting in Topeka on Thursday.

Christine Brodsky

Position: Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of Biology/Chemistry
Teaching: Brodsky teaches a variety of courses that integrate fieldwork and community engagement. Her innovative teaching style has earned her high praise from students and faculty alike. She is noted for her ability to connect classroom learning with real-world applications, particularly in environmental and biological sciences.
Research and mentorship: Brodsky’s research focuses on urban ecology and conservation, particularly how urbanization impacts biodiversity. Her work has led to multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and international conferences. She also actively involves her students in research, fostering a collaborative learning environment that enhances their academic and professional development.
Service: She has contributed to Pitt State’s community through various roles, including serving on committees and organizing outreach events that promote environmental sustainability. She has also been involved in initiatives aimed at improving science literacy and conservation awareness within the local community, and serves as the campus coordinator for K-INBRE (Kansas IDEA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence), recruiting student research scholars, holding workshops, collecting data, and facilitating funding opportunities for faculty.

Kristen Livingston

Position: Assistant Professor of Communication
Teaching: Livingston teaches courses in strategic communication, multimedia production, media writing, and human communication. She teaches a full four-course load with two additional overloads. She supervises four interns and advises 47 students in the Communication Department and prepared an Honors College course in Speech Communication for Fall 2024.
Research: Her recent scholarly contributions include publications in the Journal of Communication Pedagogy and the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing. She is involved in a study examining visual communication in Alzheimer's and dementia experiences and has presented at prestigious conferences including the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast Colloquium.
Service: Livingston is heavily engaged in service to the university and her profession. She serves as the past president of Phi Kappa Phi, faculty advisor for several student organizations, and has been a member of various university committees, including the Faculty Senate. She also co-led a professional development workshop on Open Educational Resources. She has served as a Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology college consultant and as a member of the University Scholarship Committee.
Awards: In Spring 2023, she taught a movie production project that won a Kansas Association of Broadcasting Award for its trailer. Students in her other courses have won American Advertising Federation (“ADDY”) Awards.