Humanities

Mark Irwin, professor of English, has been awarded the Juniper Prize for Poetry for his forthcoming collection,Once When Green (University of Massachusetts Press, 2025). The collection explores themes of mortality and the impact of global warming, examining how pollution affects humans, animals and plant life. The Juniper Prize, awarded annually to one previously published author, recognizes original poetic manuscripts and includes a $1,000 prize upon publication.

Elda Maria Roman, associate professor of English, has been awarded the 2024 Gulf Coast Prize in Nonfiction for her essay “Qualifying Exams.” The work offers a nuanced exploration of personal and systemic struggles, artfully weaving together themes of self-discipline and societal expectations. The prize includes a $1,500 award and publication in Gulf Coast, a literature and fine arts journal housed at the University of Houston’s English department.

Sunyoung Park, associate professor of East Asian languages and cultures and gender and sexuality studies, received a 2024 Uplifter Award from the International Association for the Fantastic in Arts (IAFA) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Caucus. The honor recognizes Park’s commitment to advancing the goals and initiatives of the BIPOC Caucus.

Natalia Molina, Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity and Dean’s Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, was awarded a Southern California Journalism Award by the Los Angeles Press Club for her poignant opinion piece, “How I learned the Los Angeles Dodgers are L.A.’s language of love," published Aug. 20, 2023 in the Los Angeles Times. Her piece highlights her insightful contribution to the evolving narrative of cultural identity and sports journalism in L.A. The award recognizes outstanding journalism while promoting diversity and excellence across various media platforms in Southern California.

Nayan Shah, professor of American studies and ethnicity and history, has been elected a member of the Society of American Historians. Membership in the society serves as testament to the literary excellence demonstrated in a scholar’s portrayal and analysis of American history, and this recognition celebrates Shah’s exceptional narrative prowess and the scholarly distinction in his historical work.

Joan Flores-Villalobos, assistant professor of history, has received the 2024 David Montgomery Award from the Organization of American Historians (OAH) for her book The Silver Women: How Black Women’s Labor Made the Panama Canal (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2023). Silver Women illuminates the oft-overlooked contributions of Black West Indian women to the construction of the Panama Canal. OAH, the largest professional organization dedicated to U.S. history, recognized Flores-Villalobos fo her contribution to scholarship and historical discourse.

Percival Everett, Distinguished Professor of English, was named on the Los Angeles Times’ list of the 50 Best Hollywood Books of All Time. His book Erasure (Graywolf Press, 2011) appears at No. 20 on the list, which encompasses fiction and nonfiction across genres and decades and was compiled from a survey of experts in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. The book was the basis for the Academy Award-winning movie American Fiction.

Evelyn Alsultany, professor of American studies and ethnicity, was named on the Los Angeles Times’ list of the 50 Best Hollywood Books of All Time. Her book Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11 (NYU Press, 2012) appears at No. 46 on the list, which encompasses fiction and nonfiction across genres and decades and was compiled from a survey of experts in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. The L.A. Times notes that Alsultany’s book “keenly avoids endorsement of neat categories like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ representation, aiming instead to complicate how it is that media images on either side of that divide can fuel meanings that end up justifying policies of exclusion and inequality.”

Elizabeth Durst, associate professor (teaching) of writing, has been awarded the prestigious Award for Distinguished Service by the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL). The accolade recognizes Durst’s exemplary leadership as executive director of AATSEEL from 2011 through 2023, where she significantly contributed to the organization during difficult times. Her efforts include adapting to digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic, spearheading fundraising initiatives, and fostering discussions on current geopolitical challenges.