Presidential Award for Outstanding NTE Faculty: Service

Meredith A. Rodgers

When the College of Science and Mathematics launched the Applied Scientific Knowledge (ASK) Program in the fall of 2016, Meredith A. Rodgers, senior lecturer of biological sciences, was the most active member of the program’s committee. So when it came to appointing a program director a few months later, Rodgers was the obvious choice.

In recognition of her outstanding leadership of the ASK Program, Rodgers received the 2020–2021 Presidential Award for Outstanding Non-Tenure (NTE) Faculty: Service.

“Meredith is a dedicated member of the Wright State community, and her work and commitment to the university’s mission and its students is long overdue for recognition of this nature,” said Jason Deibel, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physics.

The ASK Program is an experiential learning program offered by the College of Science and Mathematics that provides students with vital experience in undergraduate research and scholarship opportunities.

Rodgers is a firm believer in undergraduate research and the benefits it offers to students in their development and success beyond the classroom.

As director of ASK, she connects students with research mentors, introducing students to opportunities that help them finish their educations and pursue their dreams. She stays in contact with both students and faculty mentors in order to monitor the quality of the experience for all parties. She also supervises the peer mentors, an integral component of the ASK Program.

Rodgers was instrumental in efforts by the College of Science and Mathematics to secure $1 million in National Science Foundation funding to support scholarships, programming and research activities. She has also brought significant contributions to the successful development and implementation of new courses supporting undergraduate research.

Rodgers is a proactive, kind and dedicated mentor who goes beyond the normal expectations of the ASK director position. She has also helped countless students who are not in the ASK Program find research experiences.

She accomplishes all of this while teaching courses in the Department of Biological Sciences, doing outreach and recruiting at local schools, and promoting the ASK Program and Wright State.

“Meredith is an irreplaceable colleague, who has made a direct, personal difference in the lives of many of our students, connecting them with opportunities that help them to finish their educations and continue on to their dreams beyond Wright State,” said Adrienne Traxler, Ph.D., associate professor of physics.

Rodgers’ impact is felt in many other ways in the College of Science and Mathematics and at Wright State. She has served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences Honors Committee since 2010 and on the University Honors Committee for six years, including one year as chair. She also is a member of the department’s outreach committee.

Rodgers is a two-time Wright State graduate, with a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences.