Fresno State computer science professor Dr. Aris Athanasios Panagopoulos was selected for the university’s 2025 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, announced Dr. Xuanning Fu, Fresno State’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
The Provost’s Awards also honored the following faculty:
- Dr. Chelsey Juarez, Department of Anthropology — Distinguished Achievement in Research, Scholarship and Creative Accomplishment Award.
- Dr. Kathleen Rindahl, School of Nursing — Faculty Service Award.
- Akhil Kanodia, Department of Management — Outstanding Lecturer Award.
Three faculty members were selected for the Promising New Faculty category of the Provost’s Awards in recognition of their exemplary achievements in teaching, research, creative activities and/or service among full-time, tenure-track faculty. The honorees are:
- Dr. Kristina M. Rios, Department of Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education.
- Dr. Joel Slade, Department of Biology.
- Dr. Yang Sao Xiong, Department of Anthropology.
The Provost’s Awards includes a category for Outstanding Staff in recognition of a well-established career as evidenced by unparalleled performance in service to the department or program and the university.
- Rocio Garcia, College of Social Sciences.
- Alexis Holladay, Division of Graduate Studies.
The Provost’s Awards were established in 1993 to recognize the outstanding teaching, research and service that is central to the mission of Fresno State. Honorees provide students with a stimulating environment that fosters learning and affirms the university as an intellectual and cultural leader in the Central Valley.
Excellence in Teaching
Aris Athanasios Panagopoulos (computer science) is committed to developing the next generation of scientists who will lead the future of artificial intelligence and technology. With a background in AI from the University of California, Berkeley, Panagopoulos emphasizes active learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and solving real-world problems with a passion for mentoring students from underrepresented and underserved communities. He believes education is about cultivating curiosity, inquiry and critical thinking. Panagopoulos joined Fresno State in 2018. He developed and redesigned multiple courses that bridge theoretical foundations with real-world applications. His mentorship has led students to receive prestigious awards, to publish in journals and to secure doctoral fellowships and industry positions. Panagopoulos also provides students with research opportunities through the Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems Lab at Fresno State. His work extends beyond the classroom with service on committees across the department and university to shape policies that impact faculty and students.
Distinguished Achievement in Research, Scholarship and Creative Accomplishment Award
Dr. Chelsey Juarez (anthropology) is a first-generation college and doctoral graduate who returned home to the Central Valley from North Carolina State University to train the next generation of forensic anthropologists. She is a top publisher in the Anthropology Department having co-published nine papers in top tier journals, co-published two peer reviewed book chapters, one book and one lab manual and has authored 18 conference presentations at national and regional conferences since joining Fresno State in 2018. She uses current and innovative methods of forensic science to support social justice and human rights. Juarez is using isotope mapping methods to help identify missing migrants and to help communities learn about their ancestors. She has strong relationships with the Madera County Sheriff and has received federal funding to use forensic anthropological methods to identify Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
Faculty Service Award
Dr. Kathleen Rindahl (nursing) has always felt a calling to serve others with the hope of making a meaningful impact. Rindahl came to Fresno State in 2013. One of her first initiatives was to establish the Mobile Health Unit program to provide health care to underserved populations. She served as program director until fall 2023 when she became chair of the School of Nursing where she works to ensure that the program aligns with accreditation standards. She has served on a number of university committees including the Academic Policy and Planning Committee and the university’s COVID task force. Her professional service extends into the community where she is a member of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners and has served in leadership positions with other nursing organizations. Rindahl strives to foster an environment of service, collaboration and excellence in health care and her work reflects her passion for education, advocacy and service to others.
Outstanding Lecturer Award
Akhil Kanodia (management) fosters an entrepreneurial mindset among his students and advances initiatives that promote innovation and economic growth. He does this through the development of an entrepreneurship course, “Managing the New Venture,” in which his students run and manage every aspect of the Craig School of Business Student Store from product development to trademark licensing approvals, vendor management and marketing and sales. They launched 10 limited-edition Fresno State- and Craig School-branded products and generated $5,640 in revenue with a 27% net profit. Kanodia serves as the acting director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and is leading the planning committee for the Fresno State Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit. He mentors students and alumni, serves as adviser for the Entrepreneurship Club and as a judge in pitch competitions. Engaging in entrepreneurial initiatives helps ensure that Kanodia’s teachings and service are informed by latest trends and developments.
Promising New Faculty
Dr. Kristina M. Rios (literacy, early, bilingual and special education) focuses on special education, disability advocacy and family-school partnerships with an emphasis in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse families of children with disabilities. She has authored more than 11 peer-reviewed journal articles, multiple book chapters and a children’s book. She presents at conferences and engages in research collaborations. She uses innovative and inclusive teaching methods to create learning environments where students feel empowered and supported and she serves as mentors to undergraduate and graduate students. Rios, who came to Fresno State in 2021, participates in Ensenamos en el Valley Central, an initiative that strengthens community college pathways to support Latinx educators. She has led platicas on special education law and advocacy and helped put on an institute series centered on intersectional justice and healing. She served on a number of university committees and is professor in residence for the Tulare and Clovis Teacher Residency Programs.
Dr. Joel Slade (biology) has taught 12 different courses since arriving at Fresno State in 2019, including core biology courses, graduate seminars, electives and two new courses in ecology and evolution of birds and molecular biology. His research centers around avian ecoimmunology drawing interest from students in ecology, immunology, microbiology and evolution. Slade works to build a student-centered program grounded in inclusive mentorship, impactful research and service. His students have gone on to competitive doctoral programs, to veterinary school and obtained jobs as ecologists and biologists. A major accomplishment for Slade was receiving a $468,000 National Science Foundation grant in spring 2023, his first submission. The grant provided paid research opportunities for master’s students and enabled Slade to develop Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in his classes. Slade takes pride in engaging with the public by leading bird walks in the community, participating in special events at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and sharing his research.
Dr. Yang Sao Xiong (anthropology) is a trained sociologist but his work overlaps into anthropology and Asian American Studies. His research focuses on understanding the socioeconomic adaptation and political incorporation of immigrant groups, with an emphasis on Hmong refugees and other Asian immigrants in the U.S. Xiong joined Fresno State in 2022 and has published three journal articles and one book chapter with more to come. He is currently studying the education experiences and attainment of Southeast Asian American students, including students at Fresno State to find ways to increase graduation rates. Xiong creates engaging and inclusive spaces for students to discuss complex Asian American concepts and issues. He partnered with colleagues on a crowdfunding campaign for a student scholarship named after two retired Asian faculty members and he co-hosted the inaugural Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Student Leadership Conference on campus for K-12 students. Xiong is a sought-after expert and public speaker.
Outstanding Staff Award
Rocio Garcia (public health) has worked at Fresno State since 2016 as an administrative assistant first in the dean’s office for the College of Health and Human Services and currently for the Department of Public Health. She has established herself as a valuable staff member ready to assist the lecturers in her department, to communicate with the dean’s office and to assist students when needed. She does it all, even helping to solve technology issues to develop her own skills and to learn. Garcia listens with empathy, offers emotional support and direction. She strives to embody service, student support and professional excellence ensuring that everyone she works with has the resources they need to thrive. This position is not just a job for Garcia — it is a calling grounded in service, collaboration and continuous growth.
Alexis Holladay (graduate studies) was hired as an academic counselor in the College of Science and Mathematics in 2014 to develop the Advising and Resources Center. There, she created essential advising tools and processes, established transfer student record reviews and built cohort-style class block enrollment for the first-year experience program all with a goal of ensuring students transitioned successfully to college. In 2023, she became the lead graduate degree specialist in the Division of Research and Graduate Studies working with faculty on graduate curriculum changes and leading two degree specialists who manage the processes related to graduate students completing their degrees. She is proud to play a role in advising and supporting students, as well as establishing and improving advising and curriculum processes.
