Three Idaho State faculty members — Ames, Appleby and Thackray — honored as 2010 Distinguished Faculty

Three Idaho State University faculty members were named as Distinguished Faculty at an award ceremony on April 28 at the Stephens Performing Arts Center, and will be honored at ISU commencement May 8.

They are Karen Appleby, associate professor in the sport science and physical education department, Distinguished Teacher; Daniel Ames, associate professor in the Department of Geosciences, Distinguished Researcher; and Glenn Thackray, professor of geosciences, Distinguished Public Service Award.

“These three awards are the highest honors bestowed on faculty at Idaho State University and it is quite a distinction to receive one,” said Gary Olson, ISU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “The honorees are among our most accomplished faculty.”

Appleby is active in the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, and is currently serving as the group’s vice president for marketing. She is instrumental in planning ISU’s annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day event each year, and was recently awarded the Outstanding Collegiate Educator of the Year award by the Idaho Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Along with publications in numerous journals and speaking engagements at conferences nationwide, Appleby currently advises more than 50 undergraduate and graduate students. Her students respect her knowledge and dedication to her field.

Ames’s research focuses on watershed data analysis, software development and environmental modeling of water systems under conditions such as climate change.

Ames developed open source MapWindow geographic information system (GIS) software, which is widely used by scientists across the world. Ames has authored many manuscripts, and presented his work at national and international conferences. He was recently invited to give the keynote address at a GIS conference in Bahrain. His multi-million dollar research program is supported by competitive grants from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Idaho National Laboratory.

Thackray, who has been at ISU 15 years, earned his Ph.D. in geological sciences from the University of Washington. In 2007-08 he co-chaired a City of Pocatello recycling study committee that developed the successful new citywide curbside recycling program. He is now working with personnel from Bannock County, the Idaho Geological Survey, the cities of Pocatello and Chubbuck, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, to develop groundwater protections plans for Bannock County. Thackray has also worked with the ISU Sigma Xi chapter to initiate a Science Café series and serves on the ISU Recycling Committee.  

Professionally, Thackray has chaired an international mountain glacier research group and served on the management board of the Geological Society of America's Quaternary division.

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Idaho State University

Idaho State University, a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution founded in 1901, educates approximately 15,000 students per year in more than 280 programs. It is Idaho’s lead institution in health professions and medical education. Its seven colleges engage in a broad range of innovative research, teaching, and learning in the natural and physical sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts, education, engineering, business, pharmacy, and technology. Visit ISU today at www.isu.edu.