Dr. David Hacker, associate professor, Department of Geology, Kent State University at Trumbull, has been named one of this year’s President’s Faculty Excellence Award recipients. This annual award is given to a small number of tenure-stream faculty across the entire Kent State University system for outstanding research, scholarship, and creative activity; remarkable teaching; and/or exemplary service with national or international significance.
Last year, Dr. Hacker won the Charles J. Mankin Award from the Association of American State Geologists for best publication from a state geological survey and the Excellence in Education Award from Ohio Magazine. In 2015, he received Kent State Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Along with his regular class load, he is also the Director of Kent State University's Geology Summer Field Camp (six-credit experiential learning course taught in South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho).
Dr. Hacker has directed nearly 40 undergraduate senior research and honors projects, several of which were funded by the National Park Service and the Ohio Geological Survey.
He authored "Earth’s Natural Hazards: Understanding Natural Disasters and Catastrophes," one of the standard textbooks in the field. His article on volcanic mega-landslides in Geology, the top-ranked international journal in geoscience, drew coverage from Smithsonian Magazine, CBS News, and Science Magazine.
"Dr. Hacker is a tremendous asset to Kent State, the Trumbull campus, and our community,” said Dr. Lance Grahn, Dean and Chief Administrative Officer. “He, along with our other outstanding faculty demonstrates that we offer our students a world class education, close to home and with an affordable tuition.”
Complete list of award winners and the Kent State University article.