Robert L. Stearns Award

The college now ranks among the nation’s top 20 public engineering programs, its loftiest perch yet.

He oversaw a doubling of the percentage of underrepresented minorities among CU engineering students, to 20 percent, and nearly doubled the percentage of women, to 32 percent — while growing total enrollment by 74 percent and raising admissions standards.

Meanwhile, Rob, who stepped down at the end of last year, led the once cash-strapped college to financial security and enabled both an expansion of research activity and a doubling of annual research funding, to $74 million.

As one colleague put it, Rob “changed the very nature and trajectory of our college.”

Other numbers testify to his extraordinary service. Here’s one more: 220. That’s the number of student researchers, from undergraduates through postdocs, that Rob has personally mentored — a practice he continued while running CU Boulder’s second biggest college.

But numbers tell only aspects of Rob’s 35-year CU story, still unfolding following his return to the full-time chemical engineering faculty.

“He’s the only dean I know,” said another colleague, “who’s offered to babysit while working in his office.”

View Robert Davis Award Video

“Her work has led to shifts in the way teachers view the potential of their students and the value of knowing how to read and write in two languages,” said a school principal familiar with her work.

A CU professor of education since 1998, Kathy is especially interested in the development of bilingualism and biliteracy in the early elementary grades for Spanish-speaking minority populations in U.S. schools.

Eschewing traditional reading approaches for bilingual students, she focuses on the cultural and linguistic resources available to each child and evaluates them on their progress in both languages to better help them develop reading and writing skills in each.

Kathy is no ivory-tower dreamer: She takes pains to help apply her academic research findings in the real world. In 2004, she helped conceive the Literacy Squared initiative for advancing biliteracy programs for emerging bilingual students in U.S. schools, for example. She’s also advised the Colorado Department of Education and its Office of Civil Rights.

Kathy’s students at CU applaud her for fostering a sense of community in classes and addressing topics that are relevant, significant and sometimes controversial.

Said a peer:

“I will consider myself to be a successful scholar, friend, mentor and human being if I can live up to even half of what Dr. Escamilla has meant to her students, colleagues, friends and family.”

As director of the Institute of Artic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) and professor of geological sciences and environmental studies, Jim is a hugely prominent figure in the study of Earth and its environment. His scholarship has (for example) deepened our understanding of the global carbon cycle, reconstructed ancient environments and illuminated the degree to which plants can absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.

A solid citizen of CU Boulder, he launched the Environmental Studies Program, has guided faculty searches inside the sciences and out and earned a reputation for sound judgment and cool-headedness. He also led development of the campus’ new Sustainability, Energy and Environment Complex.

“He is the faculty member we should all aspire to be,” one colleague said.

Despite Jim’s exalted stature among researchers, he routinely teaches undergraduate courses, including “Introduction to Environmental Studies,” and speaks at middle and high schools, public libraries and retirement homes.

 “In the midst of the hard work and sobering science of climate change research,” said a former student, “his positive attitude and easy laugh reminded me that it is also fun to be able to learn something new about the natural world.”

Jim believes some questions may lie beyond the grasp of science. He’s active in his church and in the Lutheran Campus Ministry — an “encouraging,” “approachable” and “humane” person who happens to be “one of the brightest researchers around.”

• 2015: Adam Bradley
• 2015: David Plati (Jour’82)
• 2015: Steven Pollock
• 2014: Leonard Baca
• 2014: Bruce Jakosky
• 2014: Paul Mintken
• 2013: Maren Additon
• 2013: Daniel Sher
• 2012: Ryan Chreist (Kines ’96, MPA ’09)
• 2012: Lorrie Shepard (MEdu’70, PhD’72)
• 2011: Bernard Amadei
• 2011: Brian Cabral (Rec’79)
• 2011: David Getches
• 2011: Daniel Liston
• 2010: Richard Noble
• 2010: Ric Porreca
• 2010: Robert Schulzinger
• 2009: Douglas A. Burger
• 2009: Patricia N. Limerick
• 2009: Owen “Brian” Toon
• 2008: Barbara Bintliff
• 2008: David Clough (ChemEngr’69, PhD’79)
• 2008: Marvin Caruthers
• 2007: Daniel N. Baker
• 2007: Polly E. McLean
• 2007: Uriel Nauenberg

• 2006: Michael D. Breed
• 2006: Jeffrey S. Lipton (MBA’75, MFin’79)
• 2006: David O. Norris
• 2006: Richard L. Wobbekind (MEcon’79, PhD’84)
   
• 2005: Cathy Comstock (MCompLit’75, PhD’81)
• 2005: Dale Mood
• 2005: Gary J. Rottman
   
• 2004: Richard J. Castro (MPE’73)
• 2004: Robert Spillman
• 2004: Ronald Stump
   
• 2003: Ceal Barry
• 2003: Robert A. Pois
• 2003: Robert E. Sievers
   
• 2002: Alphonse Keasley Jr. (PhDSpch’01)
• 2002: Laurence D. Nelson (Acct’69)
• 2002: William Wei
   
• 2001: Jean E. Delaney (Hist’70, MA’72)
• 2001: Dennis C. Jackson
• 2001: Richard Jessor
   
• 2000: John Cooper
• 2000: Robert L. Hohlfelder
• 2000: Kevin J. McCarthy

• 1999: Susan K. Avery
• 1999: Larry D. Singell
   
• 1998: Judson G. Hurd
• 1998: James W. Palmer
   
• 1997: John J. DeBell (Psych’83)
• 1997: William R. Deno (Arch’72, MS’73)
   
• 1996: Kris C. McCandless (Soc’72, MPubAf’78)
• 1996: Charles R. Middleton
• 1996: James E. Schafer (Bus’67, MBA’71)
   
• 1995: Bruce R. Ekstrand
• 1995: Marjorie Keniston McIntosh
   
• 1994: James N. Corbridge Jr.
• 1994: Evelyn M. Krohn (MedTech’45)
   
• 1993: Robert R. Fink
• 1993: Lanny Pinchuk
   
• 1992: Charles N. Fasanero
• 1992: Gladeane Goode Lefferdink (Mus’57)
• 1992: Patricia H. Magette
   
• 1991: John G. “Pete” Copeland
• 1991: Ronald A. James (A&S’59, MJour’67)
• 1990: Gordon Johnson (MBA’82)

• 1989: Emily M. Calhoun
• 1989: F. Wayne Scott
• 1989: John R. Taylor
• 1989: Shirley Youngren
   
• 1988: John R. Carnes
• 1988: Ward Churchill
• 1988: J. Beverly Hathaway
• 1988: Kaye Howe
• 1988: Richard K. Knaub
• 1988: Eugene H. Smith
   
• 1987: Peter J. Barden (MBA’70)
• 1987: Vincent W. Beach
• 1987: Julius London
• 1987: Edward W. Murrow (Acct’59)
   
• 1986: David Breternitz
• 1986: Homer Clark
• 1986: Jenny Kate Collins
• 1986: George Maler (ElecEngr’45, MS’56)
• 1986: Charles Nilon
• 1986: N. Mildred Nilon
• 1986: William Weber
   
• 1985: Wendell Burchett
• 1985: Lillian Pohorilak
• 1985: Kenneth A. Reed (MBA’49)
• 1985: Aladeen Smith
   
• 1984: C.F. Alan Cass (A&S’63)
• 1984: Jackson F. Fuller (ElecEngr’44)
• 1984: C. Dean Graves (PE’51, MPubAd’56)
• 1984: David Hawkins
• 1984: Neil Hartley Sadler
• 1984: Theo. Volsky Jr.
   
• 1983: Charles A. Byers (MMus’52)
• 1983: Helen B. Duhon (Jour’38)
• 1983: J.K. Emery (Jour’48)
• 1983: Richard L. Harpel (MPubSer’63, EdD’70)
• 1983: Wallace Leiper
• 1983: David A. Lind
• 1983: Wyn Owen
   
• 1982: Robert Athearn
• 1982: Clifford Calhoun
• 1982: Rosetta H. Clark
• 1982: John W. Marr
• 1982: David Prescott
• 1982: Robert B. Rhode
• 1982: Joe Ben Wheat
   
• 1981: Wilmar F. Bernthal
• 1981: Frank Prentup
• 1981: Jeannette Royer
• 1981: Hobart Smith
• 1981: Klaus Timmerhaus
• 1981: Harold Walton
   
• 1980: H.H. “Bud” Arnold (Econ’52, Law’55)
• 1980: Joanne Easley Arnold (A&S’52, MJour’65, PhD’71)
• 1980: Frank S. Barnes
• 1980: William E. Briggs (MMath’49, PhD’53)
• 1980: M. John Loeffler (A&S’46, MGeog’48)
• 1980: Olwen O. William (A&S’51)
• 1980: C. Marie Wood

• 1979: Peter Albersheim
• 1979: Charles A. Barth
• 1979: D. Wilson Crumpacker
• 1979: Courtland H. Peterson (A&S’51, Law’53)
• 1979: Dan Stavely
   
• 1978: C. Michael Baier (Acct’42, MBA’63)
• 1978: Cal A. Briggs
• 1978: Fred Casotti (Jour’49)
• 1978: Ivar Pearson
• 1978: Max S. Peters
• 1978: Ruth Purkaple
• 1978: E. James Quigley (MPubSer’57)
• 1978: Leo C. Reithmayer
   
• 1977: Edwin P. Banks (MPolSci’52)
• 1977: DeVon M. Carlson (ArchEngr’47)
• 1977: Berton Coffin
• 1977: Mildred Coffin
• 1977: Virginia A. Fassler
• 1977: John E. Moreland (Bus’43, MFin’55)
• 1977: Robert S. Wasley (MAcct’41)
   
• 1976: F. Kendrick Bangs (MPubSer’46)
• 1976: Eloise V. Braidwood
• 1976: Roderick L. Downing (CivEngr’14)
• 1976: Mabel M. Irwin
• 1976: Benjamin H. Spurlock (MMechEngr’50)
• 1976: Thomas E. Starzl
   
• 1975: Roland E. “Doc” Balch
• 1975: Willa E. Green
• 1975: Barbara Schindler Jones (MComm’59, PhD’68)
• 1975: Gordon Meiklejohn
• 1975: Omer C. Stewart
• 1975: Howard B. Waltz
   
• 1974: Albert A. Bartlett
• 1974: William H. Baughn
• 1974: Bertha Black
• 1974: Donald E. Carline
• 1974: A. Dwight Grotewold (MPubSer’64)
• 1974: George S. Lesser (Bus’33)
• 1974: Reuben Zubrow
   
• 1973: Willard B. Cook (Bus’33, MBA’51)
• 1973: Harold C. Heim (Phar’32)
• 1973: Howard H. Higman (Art’37, SocSci’42)
• 1973: Charlotte York Irey (MThtr’65)
• 1973: Pauline A. Parish
• 1973: Keith R. Porter
   
• 1972: Peggy Tague Earnest
• 1972: John N. Hough
• 1972: Calvin Grieder
   
• 1971: Gordon H. Barker
• 1971: Stanley J. Cristol
• 1971: Thorrel B. Fest
• 1971: Burton W. Jones
• 1971: Tim K. Kelley
• 1971: William B. Markward
   
• 1970: Sam J. Akins
• 1970: Alice Clyncke
• 1970: John J. Conger
• 1970: Lawrence D. Coolidge
• 1970: Stephen A. Romine (MEdu’40, EdD’47)
• 1970: Homer P. Rainey

• 1969: Charles L. Evans
• 1969: Dorothy L. Greenman (Edu’32)
• 1969: Otis Lipstreau
• 1969: Hugh McMillan
• 1969: Karl H. Stahl
   
• 1968: C. Henry Kempe
• 1968: Evelyn M. Mitchell (A&S’28)
• 1968: Jack D. Ogilvy (A&S ex’25)
• 1968: A. Gayle Waldrop
• 1968: Norman F. Witt (MChem’28, PhD’37)
   
• 1967: Norma Mitchell
• 1967: Margaret Robb
• 1967: Don W. Sears
• 1967: Russell “Sox” Walseth (PE’48, MEdu’53)
   
• 1966: John W. Bartram (Chem’41)
• 1966: Joseph W. Cohen
• 1966: Austin W. Scott Jr.
• 1966: Muriel Sibell Wolle (MA’30)
   
• 1965: M. Helen Carpenter (Engl ex’22)
• 1965: Roland C. Rautenstraus (CivEngr’46, MS’49)
• 1965: Martin F. Schmidt (Bus’34, MBA’34)
• 1965: Eugene Wilson
   
• 1964: James W. Broxon
• 1964: Clifford Houston (A&S’27, MEdu’28, EdD’33)
• 1964: Warner L. Imig (MMus’42)
• 1964: Aubrey J. Kempner
• 1964: S. Harrison Thomson
   
• 1963: Frank Eastom (ElecEngr’21)
• 1963: John R. Little (EdD’48)
• 1963: Louise McAllister (Bus’37)
• 1963: Lawrence A. Warner
   
• 1962: Leo V. Aspinwall (MBA’32)
• 1962: D. Mack Easton
• 1962: Dorothy R. Martin (Psych’34, MA’36, PhD’47)
   
• 1961: W. Otto Birk
• 1961: Harold A. Hoffmeister (A&S’25)
• 1961: Charles G. Vavra (A&S’25)
   
• 1960: Mary Ethel Ball (A&S’14)
• 1960: W. Stuart Cuthbertson (MA’24)
• 1960: Frederic P. Storke (Law’17)
• 1960: Warren O. Thompson (A&S’22)

• 1959: Charles A. Hutchinson (A&S’22)
• 1959: Edward C. King
• 1959: Henrietta A. Loughran
• 1959: Theordore T. Puck
   
• 1958: W.F. Dyde
• 1958: Clarence L. Eckel (CivEngr’13, MS’21)
• 1958: Jacob Van Ek
   
• 1957: Earl C. Crockett
• 1957: William B. Draper
• 1957: Claribel Kendall (A&S’12)
• 1957: Walter Orr Roberts
   
• 1956: Waldo E. Brockway (CivEngr’17)
• 1956: Elizabeth Fay Selleck (A&S’14)
• 1956: Clare Hebard Small
• 1956: Frank C. Potts
   
• 1955: Bly Ewalt Curtis (A&S’39)
• 1955: Ruth T. Colestock (Nurs’20)
• 1955: Walter B. Franklin (A&S’22, Law’25)
   
• 1954: Benjamin S. Galland (Law’19)
• 1954: Francis Wolle (MA’16)
   
• 1953: Harry G. Carlson
• 1953: Colin B. Goodykoontz