Dr. Catherine “Katie” Cooper, Associate Professor in the School of the Environment, is the winner of the 2018-19 Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award from the Washington State University Association for Faculty Women (AFW).

She was virtually acknowledged during the Celebrating Excellence Recognition Banquet, part of WSU’s annual Showcase celebration of faculty, staff and student excellence. See https://showcase.wsu.edu/celebrating-excellence-banquet/.

The award recognizes “an AFW member whose leadership has advanced the role of women in the WSU system and/or who has demonstrated leadership in higher education, the community or her profession at the local, state, regional, national or international level.” It was established in 2000 to show AFW’s appreciation to former President Smith for his leadership in advancing the role of women at WSU.

Professor Cooper is a respected scholar, award-winning teacher, and champion of women and underrepresented minorities. She has led numerous groups that promote the advancement of women. She chairs the WSU Salary Study Task Force and has chaired the Commission on the Status of Women. She led a Women’s Leadership Conference in cooperation with the University of Idaho. She also serves as the Association of Faculty Women (AFW) liaison to the provost. In each of these roles, Cooper has advocated for change to advance diversity, equity, and inclusiveness.

Cooper is a role model for female students in the geosciences, a discipline with few women at the forefront. She advises and mentors students across the University and donated her time to serve as faculty advisor to the LGBTQ+ Diversity in STEM student group. Outside WSU, Cooper is a popular speaker for community programs, including those serving girls in STEM disciplines.

Bryan Slinker, provost, and Laura Hill, vice provost for faculty development and affairs shared this about Katie: “Katie has…effectively advocated for changes in a number of policies that will make academic life more equitable for women… If we had to choose someone to stand shoulder to shoulder with in battle, we would choose Katie in a heartbeat.”

Deadline:  February 5, 2020

Nominations are being sought for AFW’s Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award. The Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award was established in 2000 to show AFW’s appreciation to President Emeritus Smith for his leadership in advancing the role of women at WSU. The award winner will be recognized at a special ceremony on March 4, 2020 at 5:30pm in the Honors Lounge to be followed by a reception, and at WSU’s Showcase in 2020. See additional links for an overview of the award and past award recipients.

The criteria for the award are as follows: “The recipient of the Award shall be an AFW member whose leadership has advanced the role of women in the Washington State University system and/or who has demonstrated leadership in higher education, the community, or her profession at the local, state, regional, national or international level.”

Nominations should consist of a statement (no more than 1-2 pages) outlining the contributions of the outstanding AFW member relative to the stated criteria, along with the nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae. Letters of support are welcome but not required. Compile all documents in a single PDF. Active and emeritus AFW members are eligible for the award.

Send nominations (in PDF format) via email to: Ana M. Rodríguez-Vivaldi amrodriguez@wsu.edu

Dr. Ana María Rodríguez-Vivaldi, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Global Education for the College of Arts and Sciences, is the winner of the 2018-19 Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award from the Washington State University Association for Faculty Women (AFW).

She will be acknowledged during the Celebrating Excellence Recognition Banquet on March 29, part of WSU’s annual Showcase celebration of faculty, staff and student excellence. See https://showcase.wsu.edu/celebrating-excellence-banquet/.

The award recognizes “an AFW member whose leadership has advanced the role of women in the WSU system and/or who has demonstrated leadership in higher education, the community or her profession at the local, state, regional, national or international level.”  It was established in 2000 to show AFW’s appreciation to former President Smith for his leadership in advancing the role of women at WSU.

Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi’s research focuses on contemporary Latin American popular culture.  This work frequently touches upon the experiences and perspectives of women.  Through the lens of literary and film analysis, Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi explores the impact of many topics, including violence, imposed patriarchy, migration, and aging.  She has an impressive record of publications and presentations and high level of professional activity as an editor, book reviewer, and consultant.

As an Associate Dean, Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi provides leadership for a wide range of areas within the college through collaboration and development with international programs, online education, student affairs, scholarships and undergraduate petitions.  She also works closely with department chairs, undergraduate coordinators, and academic advisors to create a transformative educational experience for our students and to ensure that they are connecting their academic achievements to future personal and professional goals.

Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi has also made significant contribution to her department as an instructor, mentor, and program leader.  To date, she has developed 34 different courses, chaired the committees of 47 Masters students, and developed numerous study abroad programs to Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.  Her exceptional instructional and mentoring skills have been recognized by her peers on multiple occasions, including the Honors College Outstanding Teaching Award (2008), the Outstanding Mentor Award from the WSU Women Leadership Forum (2005 & 2009), and the Honors College Outstanding Thesis Advisor Award (2010).

As the Co-Director of the Hearts in Motion medical service project, Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi has traveled to Guatemala every spring since 2011, taking 25 WSU students per trip.  As part of Hearts in Motion, Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi and Dr. Kathy Beerman started the Lucky Iron Fish project that utilizes an innovative solution to remedy iron deficiency anemia.  By boiling the iron fish and then cooking food with iron-enriched water, this project has improved health conditions for countless people in Guatemala.

Dr. Rodríguez-Vivaldi has been an active member of AFW, having served as President, President Elect, and various Officer positions.  In her role as former President, she organized meetings with the Board of Regents, Provost, Deans, and Vice Chancellors that provided university women the opportunity to dialogue directly with leadership on issues that are important to them.