2024 Faculty Awards Recipients and Years of Service Recognition

Lancer D. Stephens, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Promotion Sciences, Hudson College of Public Health Presbyterian Health Foundation Presidential Professor

Lancer Stephens, an enrolled member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and descendant of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is an Associate Dean and Associate Professor at the Hudson College of Public Health in the department of Health Promotion Sciences. Since 2013, Dr. Stephens has regularly taught the core course, Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, which all students complete. He also teaches a diversity course entitled, Health and the American Indian, that brings in multiple guest speakers from a wide range of public health fields and government organizations, including tribal nations. Lastly, Dr. Stephens teaches the Practicum in Cross Cultural Research for residents and fellows that anticipate future research with diverse populations.

Resham Bhattacharya , PhD, Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine President’s Associates Presidential Professor

Dr. Bhattacharya is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the co‐leader of the Cancer Biology program at the Stephenson Cancer Center. Dr. Bhattacharya is an accomplished scientist who has translated her bench‐side work into clinical trials in gynecologic cancers. Dr. Bhattacharya runs a multidisciplinary laboratory, continues to mentor multiple students and junior faculty, and has been continuously funded by multiple NIH R01 and DOD grants since 2012. Dr. Bhattacharya has served on more than 20 Institutional or Departmental Committees. With an h‐index of 51 her work has been cited more than 24000 times. 

Catherine Hunter, MD, Professor, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor

Catherine Hunter, MD, is the Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery, and Program Director for the Pediatric Surgery Fellowship and the Research Scholars Program in Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Hunter is a highly accomplished surgeon, scientist, program builder and mentor. She has a longstanding history of federal funding for her research on necrotizing enterocolitis and has published 98 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. She prioritizes mentorship and initiated a novel program for trainees to participate in a GME approved surgical research program. She has received numerous teaching and mentor awards, and serves in leadership positions on more than one professional committees. Dr. Hunter has developed and supported the development, of clinical programs and partnered with her gastrointestinal colleagues to ensure that The Pediatric GI and GI surgery service was ranked consistently in the top 50 programs by the US News and World Reports.

Stefano Tarantini, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine

Dr. Stefano Tarantini has been a full-time faculty member at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences since 2019, currently in the role of Assistant Professor. His research program focuses on the role of microvascular mechanisms in the development of cognitive decline in aging and age-related diseases.  He has published 97 original research articles and 22 review articles in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to a book chapter for the Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials.  Dr. Tarantini has secured funding from federal agencies and foundations, including NIH R03 and K01 awards, as well as an award from the American Heart Association. He was also awarded an NIH R21 grant to study the effect of time-restricted eating in healthy older adults in September 2023.  Dr. Tarantini’s research and scholarly efforts have gained national and international recognition among his peers. His work has significant implications for understanding cognitive decline in aging and age-related diseases. We are pleased to award Dr. Stefano Tarantini with the Provost Research Award for Junior Faculty in Basic Science.

Sydney Martinez, PhD, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Dr. Sydney Martinez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. As a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, she is uniquely poised to work with tribal populations and has demonstrated a commitment to health disparities, tribal engagement, and patient-centered outcomes. Her research focuses on understanding and addressing commercial tobacco- and cancer-related health inequities; the intersection between commercial tobacco and diabetes; and the natural history and patient experiences of intestinal malrotation.  She has secured funding for 9 research projects as Principal Investigator (PI) or Program Director (PD) for a total of more than $1.1 million in direct costs. Dr. Martinez has published 25 peer-reviewed publications, 9 as first author. Dr. Martinez co-directs two summer undergraduate research programs, the Native American Research Center for Health (NARCH) program and the Cancer Research Immersion Summer Program (CRISP). Her mentorship of students across multiple levels contributes to building a cadre of public health, clinical, and translational professionals.  Dr. Martinez’s research and scholarly efforts have gained national and international recognition among her peers. Her work has significant implications for addressing health disparities in both tribal- and patient-centered contexts. 

Leah Anderson, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Allied Health

Dr. Leah Anderson, Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Allied Health, OUHSC, joined the university in 2014, with teaching responsibilities in approximately 24 didactic credit hours a year. Dr. Anderson provides exceptional education and training and mentorship to undergraduates, graduate, and colleagues. She is recognized for her innovative active teaching strategies and ability to make difficult concepts manageable. Each step of her course design strategically and deliberately guides students’ learning based in the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is recognized by her colleagues, as an expert with the university’s learning management systems, with invitations to share her innovative teaching strategies with faculty at the College and University level through faculty development and Education Grand Rounds. Dr. Anderson’s experiential teaching contributions through the Mediterranean Diet and Culture course, taught in Arezzo, Italy is the second longest running summer program with the University of Oklahoma; consistently running at maximum capacity every year. This course is described by participants as the “ultimate act of learning” as every aspect of the course engages thoughtful pedagogy to motivate the learner. In addition to her university teaching, Dr. Anderson is recognized as an expert educator in her profession being invited to develop the “Instructor’s Manual for: Nuturition and Diagnosis Related Care” 9th edition, a resource widely used by students and experienced practitioners in nutritional sciences and dietetics. Dr. Anderson’s excellence in teaching is recognized at the national, state, and college levels, including her profession’s prestigious, “Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award” (2020).

Dominic C. Frimberger, MD, Professor, Department of Urology, College of Medicine

 Dr. Dominic C Frimberger, Professor in the Department of Urology in the College of Medicine, OUHSC, joined the University in 2004, serving as an outstanding clinician, surgeon, and educator for over 19 years. Since 2015, he has served as the Chief of the Pediatric Section and has enhanced and expanded the education of urology residents, post graduate fellows and medical students. Dr. Frimberger was instrumental in partnering with the Urology Residency Program Director to restructure the didactic educational sessions for residents to optimize the learning experience to cover core competencies and all domains of urology in-depth during the five-year training program. Still today, conferences are structured to include new and current urologic information, current standards of care protocols, translational research, and clinical applications. Dr. Frimberger understands the importance of a balanced and well-rounded education. He is vigilant in creating a professional, nondiscriminatory, and supportive learning environment. As Section Chief, he has successfully created an environment of continual improvement and cohesiveness. The success of this approach can be seen by the many positive and enthusiastic comments that he received over the years along with the prestigious Education Hero Award, recognizing excellent mentors and those exhibiting hard work, dedication, and excellence in support of the efforts of the College of Medicine. He continually encourages junior faculty to specialize within their practice, especially in robotics, cancer, reconstruction, and stone disease. He is considered invaluable to resident education, allowing appropriate autonomy, and providing honest criticism of resident strengths and weaknesses to develop excellent future urologists. Outside the hospital, Dr. Frimberger has served as a board member for the Oklahoma Adaptive Sports Association (OKASA) for over 15 years, helping to organize annual wheelchair basketball games between the Oklahoma wheelchair team “The Rolling Thunder” and up to 10 different teams from the OU Health system including physicians, nurses, administration, and staff. This event draws over 150 visitors each year and has raised over $200,000 over the last 15 years. For his dedication to his community, he received the Frist Humanitarian Award. It is important to him that residents and students participate in the event to be firsthand witnesses to the important role that community work plays in becoming a well-rounded physician. Dr. Frimberger is a true champion of education who personifies the physician-educator model.

Kimetha Broussard, DNP, Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing

I have 34 service years as an Oklahoma Registered Nurse with 18 of those years as a nursing educator and assistant professor with the OU Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing. I graduated from the OUHSC-College of Nursing in 2004 as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with a degree in Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist with a Case Management Focus. I have been either a faculty member, course lead or course coordinator in the Human Experience of Disability, Clinical I, II, III, IV, Leadership and Community Health courses since 2005. I graduated in 2017 with a doctorate in nursing practice.

Patsy Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, College of Nursing

Dr. Patsy Smith started with the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing in August of 2001.  Over the years, Dr. Smith has been a constant advocate for Faculty Governance within the College of Nursing and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.  Dr. Smith was elected as an alternate OUHSC Faculty Senator in 2008 and again in 2011.  In 2012 she became a Faculty Senate Representative and has been an active and consistent member of the University faculty governance structure ever since.  Dr. Smith was elected Secretary Elect in 2014 and served as Secretary in 2015.  She went on to be elected as Chair Elect in 2016, serving as Chair in 2017, and Immediate Past Chair in 2018.  In 2020-2022, Dr. Smith served Faculty Senate as the College of Nursing Faculty Representative, only to be elected Secretary Elect again in 2023.  She will continue her service as Secretary for the 2024-2025 academic year.  From 2022-2024 Dr. Smith has simultaneously served as the College of Nursing Faculty Governance Board Chair and will be moving into the role of Past Chair for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. 
Dr. Smith works tirelessly to help all Faculty members understand the governance process as it relates to the College of Nursing and the University as a whole.  She is extremely knowledgeable and encourages all Faculty to participate so that shared governance can work and benefit the Faculty, the Staff and most importantly, the Students.  She is energetic, positive, and patient in her explanations and ensures that Faculty have a voice in decisions impacting them.  She is always willing to go the extra mile to answer questions or find resources for Faculty concerning governance.  Dr. Smith is very deserving of the David L. Boren Award for Faculty Governance for more than a decade of dedication to faculty governance at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences campus.

Susan Sisson, PhD, Professor, Nutritional Sciences, College of Allied Health

In 2008, HSC Student Government Association created the concept of a Faculty Award derived totally from student nominations and selected by students. Students were asked to nominate a faculty member that they considered to be outstanding in the areas of teaching, mentoring, service or professional activities, and representing the same characteristics exhibited by Dr. Robert A. Magarian, HSC Professor Emeritus and active community leader.

Dr. Sisson is described by the following statements:

•    She provides guidance, empathy, understanding, and patience to her students.
•    She is committed to the academic journeys of students, mentoring and assisting in building professional networks.
•    She brings out the best in those around her and leads by example.