On Nov. 9, Dean Julie Johnson announced the recipients of the 2020-21 Teaching Service Awards for the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. The individuals listed below were recognized for their substantial contributions to the college, university, community and scientific community.
Teacher Service Award Winners for the 2020-2021 Academic Year
Josh Brown – For exceptional teaching through revision of a required graduate course and creation of a PharmD elective, advancing research opportunities for PharmD students, and exceptional service to the profession.
Shauna Buring – For exceptional leadership of the college’s accreditation process and for extraordinary contributions to the University and community through her principal role with the Alachua County Department of health in COVID-19 vaccination efforts in winter and spring 2021.
Lindsey Childs-Kean – For critical contributions to the vaccination efforts, including becoming an immunization trainer, professional contributions through her ASHP podcast and outstanding scholarly contributions.
Stacey Curtis –  For extraordinary contributions to the University’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, leading efforts to secure ASHP accreditation for the College’s innovative PGY-1 Community Pharmacy residency program, and high scholarly productivity.
Jessica Huston – For her instrumental in helping the UF Health Jacksonville Office of Research establish a portal through which students can be connected with faculty for research opportunities, and for generally going above and beyond to serve our students.
Ado Khoury – For his leadership in mass COVID vaccination clinics, significant scholarly contributions, and personalized teaching approach.
Chenglong Li – For extraordinary service to the college and university in the AI initiative, through active participation on the University AI working group, the HSC AI Steering Committee, and COP AI Task Force, and as co-Chair of the Diagnostics and Therapeutics search committee.
Chris McCurdy – For exceptional service to the college, university, the nation and profession through his work with the International Pharmaceutical Federation, the AAPS, and the FDA, and by drawing significant positive attention to the college through his work on Kratom.
Barbara Santavecchi – For working tirelessly as a COVID-19 expert to help lead UF Health through the development and implementation of institutional COVID guidelines, for expert leadership in developing the College’s Test and Treat certification CE. On top of all of this, and for outstanding teaching.
Stephan Schmidt – For outstanding contributions in teaching PharmD and PhD students, numerous types of service in the college, and significant leadership in national and international organizations.
Steve Smith – For service as a pharmacist lead at UF/DOH vaccination efforts with over 100 hours of volunteer effort and for substantial contributions to the AI initiative search process.
Veena Venugopalan – For her instrumental role in leading the COP’s COVID educational efforts including co-development with COP CE on a COVID-19 vaccine program and an orientation program for incoming 1PD students, for her leadership in development of the Test and Treat certification CE, and for her role nationally with the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists as both an educator and a member of their inaugural diversity and inclusion task force.
Scott Vouri – For piloting a drive-thru flu vaccine clinic at UF Health Springhill to prepare for the COVID vaccine efforts and co-leading the early COVID vaccine clinic development, implementation, and staffing when vaccines first became available.
Almut Winterstein – For exceptional service to the college, university, nation and profession through her work with the international Society of Pharmacoepidemiology, as director of the Consortium for Medical Marijuana, and her substantial involvement with the university’s Artificial Intelligence initiative.
Lihui Yuan – For being a collegial member of PD by helping new faculty prepare for teaching PharmD students and providing peer review, for repeated volunteer efforts for vaccine clinics, especially the weekend clinics in underserved communities.