Awards and honors

UNC Charlotte has named Sukumar Kamalasadan, professor of electrical engineering, the recipient of the 2026 Charlotte Distinguished Research Award. Established in the late 1980s, this prestigious honor recognizes senior full‑time faculty members who demonstrate scholarly excellence at the highest level in their fields. Kamalasadan’s work not only advances academic understanding — it is actively shaping […]

The inaugural UNC Charlotte Faculty GOLD Awards celebrate the everyday ways faculty support, uplift and inspire one another. Rooted in appreciation and peer recognition, the awards are open to all faculty across all ranks, including adjunct faculty. They highlight the meaningful contributions that help build a strong, connected academic community. From checking in on a […]

Eight UNC Charlotte students have been nominated for four nationally competitive awards—the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the Truman Scholarship, the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship and the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program. Charlotte nominees are Willis Flores, Ethan Harris, Justin Lindsay, Jasmine Oliver, Theo Palermo, Arnav Sareen, Olivia Stockwell ’25 and Avery Taylor. “We are really thrilled […]

Colleen Hammelman, an associate professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, was selected as UNC Charlotte’s nominee for the 2025 Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service. The nomination recognizes Hammelman’s years of dedicated service. Since joining the University in 2017, she has advanced community-engaged research and teaching […]

Ten standout recent graduates took center stage at UNC Charlotte’s eighth annual 10 Under Ten Awards on Thursday, Feb. 19, filling the Popp Martin Student Union with Niner pride. Each year, the UNC Charlotte GOLD Alumni Network honors graduates from the past decade who not only excel in their careers but make a meaningful impact […]

Gene Johnson ’73, a dedicated UNC Charlotte advocate and donor, is one of the newest members of the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame, presented by Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas. Johnson joins the group that honors the state’s most influential business leaders. A ceremony celebrating the 2026 laureates was held Feb. 17. Johnson earned […]

UNC Charlotte had a banner year in 2025, and the region is taking notice. Charlotte Business Journal named Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber Business Person of the Year for 2025, recognizing her innovative leadership in growing the University’s national profile, expanding its presence in uptown and solidifying it as an economic driver for the region. In […]

During the University’s observance of International Education Week, Charlotte Global recognized three faculty members, a staff member and two students for their efforts to advance global learning. Aspen Hochhalter, associate professor of art and art history, received the International Excellence Award. During her tenure, she has developed and led multiple study abroad experiences including the […]

Ashley Tate, assistant professor of dance, is one of three choreographers to receive a 2025-26 North Carolina Choreographic Fellowship from Trillium Arts. This two-week fellowship in June 2026 will provide Tate and a group of four dancers with financial support, lodging and studio space at the Trillium Arts campus in Mars Hill, North Carolina. Tate will use the […]

KoKo Thornton ’97 is the 2025 recipient of the Inspiring Teacher Award, presented at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, known as the Jimmy Awards. Thornton was nominated by her former student Conor Kruger, who participated in the 2024 Jimmy Awards. He is her fifth student to go to the national competition from Enloe Magnet […]