The student-selected "Super Heroes" Awards for Excellence at the Student Interface--the Aqua Man (DC Justice League), Captain Planet (Turner/DIC Entertainment), and Storm (X-Men) awards for outstanding faculty instructors and the Atlas Award for the most outstanding support staff member--are much coveted honors in the department, and most recipients are extremely reluctant to part with their statuettes when their award year comes to an end.
HISTORY: In 2022, a Super Woman award was added. In 2019 (and all subsequent years), the awards will be made at the annual spring picnic organized and hosted by HASSA. In prior years, the statuettes were awarded during the annual student research symposium (El Día). In 2018, the Atlas Award for the most outstanding staff member was added. Prior to 2017, AquaMan and/or AquaWoman awards were presented. Prior to 2016, students voted for the most outstanding undergraduate and graduate instructors. Prior to 2014, students voted for the most outstanding junior and senior faculty instructors--Assistant-Associate Professor rank and Professor rank, respectively.
Awards for Excellence at the Student Interface (faculty and staff)
- 2023 Awardees not yet determined
- 2022 Storm to Eyad Atallah, Aqua Man to Ty Ferré, Captain Planet to Laura Condon, Atlas to Tim Corley, and Super Woman to Brittany Ciancarelli
- 2021 No awards made this year due to the pandemic
- 2020 No awards made this year due to the pandemic
- 2019 Storm to Brittany Ciancarelli, Aqua Man to Hoshin Gupta, Captain Planet to Larry Winter, Atlas to Sarah Warren
- 2018 Storm to Tom Galarneau, Aqua Man to Martha Whitaker, Captain Planet to Ty Ferré, Atlas to Erma Santander
- 2017 Storm to Jennifer McIntosh, Aqua Man to Tom Meixner, and Captain Planet to Ave Arellano
- 2016 Aqua Woman to Martha Whitaker in Hydrology; Aqua Man to Christopher Castro & Thomas Gallerneau in Atmospheric Sciences (a tie!)
- 2015 Aqua Woman to Martha Whitaker (undergraduate) and Aqua Man to Ty Ferré (graduate)
- 2014 Aqua Woman to Martha Whitaker (undergraduate) and Aqua Man to Jim Yeh(graduate)
- 2013 Aqua Woman to Jennifer McIntosh and Aqua Man to Ty Ferré
- 2012 Aqua Man to Tom Meixner and Ty Ferré
- 2011 Aqua Woman to Jennifer McIntosh and Aqua Man Peter Troch
- 2010 Aqua Man to Ty Ferré and Hoshin Gupta
- 2009 Aqua Woman to Jennifer McIntosh and Aqua Man to Hoshin Gupta
- 2008 Aqua Man to Tom Meixner and Hoshin Gupta
- 2007 Aqua Man to Tom Meixner and Hoshin Gupta
- 2006 Aqua Man to Ty Ferré and Hoshin Gupta & Shlomo Neuman (a tie!)
- 2005 Unknown
- 2004 Unknown
- 2003 Aqua Man to Bart Nijssen and Jim Yeh
- 2002 Aqua Man to Ty Ferré and Senior Faculty Unknown
- 2001 Aqua Man to Ty Ferré and Senior Faculty Unknown
- 2000 Aqua Man to Ty Ferré and Randy Bassett