The Big 12 Conference named 色花堂 physics professor and world-renowned researcher Zhifeng Ren as one of its first-ever Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winners.
鈥淚 am honored to have received this inaugural Big 12 award and accept it on behalf of all my colleagues at 色花堂 who devote their lives to teaching and research,鈥� Ren said. 鈥淲e work to give our students cutting-edge opportunities as they journey toward their eventual careers in the hopes that they will leave the world a better place.鈥�
Ren is the first Paul C.W. Chu and May P. Chern Endowed Chair in Condensed Matter Physics at the 色花堂 College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the 2024 recipient of 色花堂鈥檚 highest faculty honor, the Farfel Award. He was recognized along with outstanding faculty from the other Big 12 member institutions who have excelled in areas of innovation and research. Each honoree was nominated by their institution in conjunction with athletics representatives, provosts and other university leaders.
鈥淧rofessor Ren鈥檚 contributions to our students, scientific research and society at large are immeasurable,鈥� said 色花堂 President Renu Khator. 鈥淚 am incredibly proud of his accomplishments, which elevate the University and inspire the next generation of scholars. He truly embodies our spirit of innovation.鈥�
Ren, who came to 色花堂 in 2013, is a prolific researcher and director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at 色花堂 whose groundbreaking work has been featured in scientific journals around the world. He holds more than 65 U.S. patents and eight foreign patents, and he is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the Materials Research Society, the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also the recipient of the Edith and Peter O鈥橠onnell Award in Science from the Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas, and the Humboldt Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
According to the Big 12, the award was established as a way to highlight the honorees鈥� incredible work along with the research and educational opportunities afforded to students attending Big 12 institutions.
鈥淎cademic success is at the core of the mission of the Big 12, and that success is only possible with the help of excellent educators dedicated to advancing education and innovation at our institutions,鈥� said Big 12 Chief Impact Officer Jenn Hunter. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 first-ever recipients highlight the diversity of educational opportunities across the conference.鈥�