David Francis wins UH’s highest faculty award
TLC2 congratulates its Co-Director David Francis on winning the Esther Farfel Award, the highest honor accorded to a University faculty member. The award, a symbol of overall career excellence, carries a cash prize of $10,000. Francis received the award at a public ceremony on April 29, 2008 with UH President and Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator in attendance.
David Francis has had a happy home at the University of Houston for the past 24 years. From his time as a student to his years serving as a professor and chair for the department of psychology, he has enjoyed the camaraderie of colleagues, the appreciation of the administration and the dedication of students.
"It is such a significant honor for a UH faculty member to win the Farfel Award that I had to pause for a minute to take in the magnitude of what this honor means," said Francis, a Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor. "As a UH alum and someone who has spent my entire professional career on the faculty in the department of psychology, it may even mean a little more to me. To receive such recognition from one’s peers, colleagues and students is, at once, humbling and gratifying."
Even more rewarding is that Francis remains true to his nature as a quantitative researcher. His gift for statistics and measurement factors into his success as a researcher and has been instrumental in the development of the Texas Institute for Measurement Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), a collaborative research center based on campus. These talents also helped pave new ground in the areas of neuropsychology and adolescent learning.
"There’s still a lot that we don’t know about how to make academic success likely for all students," Francis said. "Meeting that challenge presents opportunities for basic and applied research in psychology, as well as in measurement and statistics. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work on such interesting problems with such great colleagues and students. It’s really tough to beat this job."
Francis was key in founding the National Research and Development Center for English Language Learners. Funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the project focuses on literacy and English language development of Spanish-speaking elementary and middle school students.
He also was among the researchers who founded the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities. The center’s development was assisted by an $8.5 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and combines efforts from TIMES and other institutions.
Francis arrived at UH as a graduate student in 1979. He earned a master of arts and a doctorate in clinical neuropsychology, and in 1985, he was hired as a visiting professor. One year later, he became a permanent member of the UH psychology faculty. Since then, he’s been proud to be a Cougar and is pleased to call UH his home.
"UH has been a great place for someone like me," Francis said. "My work has been valued, and I have been treated well. To be encouraged to pursue the work that I find interesting, to be treated well and to have great colleagues, collaborators and students is all one can ask for in academia."
Dr. David J. Francis is a Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor and a recipient of the University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award and a former member of the National Institute of Health's Behavioral Medicine Study Section.
Among his many contributions to the UH community, he also holds the following positions:
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Chairman of Department of Psychology
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Director, Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics
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Director, National Research & Development Center for English Language Learners
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Co-Director, Texas Learning and Computation Center
He is a Fellow of Division 5 (Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics) of the American Psychology Association and current member of the Independent Review Panel for the National Assessment of Title I and the Technical Advisory Group of the What Works Clearing House.
His areas of quantitative interest include modeling of individual growth, multi-level and mixture modeling, structural equation modeling, item response theory, and exploratory data analysis.
Dr. Francis currently collaborates on multiple contracts and grants funded by NICHD, the Institute of Education Sciences of the US Department of Education, the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, the Texas Education Agency, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
About the Esther Farfel Award
The annual award is the University of Houston’s highest award given to distinguished faculty members.
Nominees must be full-time tenured faculty who have held a continuous appointment at the University of Houston for at least five academic years prior to the year of nomination. Nominees must demonstrate excellence in all areas of faculty responsibility. The selection committee will consider:
a. the significance and national/international impact of the candidate's research or creative activity;
b. evidence of outstanding teaching ability; and
c. distinctive and exemplary service to the University, the profession, and the community.
Pictures of the award ceremony may be viewed at
http://www.tlc2.uh.edu/Gallery/showgallery.php?cat=705
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