2023–24 Presidential Award for Faculty Mentoring

Jeffrey Peters, professor and associate chair of biological sciences

Jeffrey Peters, Ph.D., professor and associate chair of biological sciences at Wright State University, received the 2023-24 President’s Award for Faculty Mentoring.

“Dr. Peters exemplifies excellence in mentorship in our Biological Sciences Department for our faculty, staff and students,” said Lynn Hartzler, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of biological sciences. “Dr. Peters creates a work environment in which everyone can thrive. He leads by example, contributes more than his share to our collective efforts and encourages all of our faculty to use their own individual strengths and interests.”

Peters’ role as a faculty mentor includes issues involving diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting and working with a junior faculty member who leads a group effort in the department on such issues.

“Being an engaged and active listener as well as a genuinely thoughtful colleague, he has consistently supported and encouraged the efforts of his fellow faculty members in this group,” said Ayşe Şahin, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “It is with efforts like those of Dr. Peters on DEI issues that we are able to retain early career faculty who will successfully serve the university for many years to come.”

Peters’ mentorship efforts have also led to the retention of not only faculty but also students. He stepped into a sudden leadership void by chairing the department’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, in which he led efforts to address student success rates “in their most challenging courses. This work required a thoughtful, open-minded mentor for the faculty with whom he works,” Şahin said.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of mentoring those faculty who shape curricular reforms in the sciences, and I know that with his passion for and engagement in this process, Dr. Peters is the best mentor for this group of educators,” she said.

As a research-active faculty member, Peters also brings his enthusiasm for research in the department’s efforts to strengthen its research programs. Peters has been central to mentoring fellow research faculty by organizing and participating in grant development brainstorming sessions as well as other means of encouraging faculty in their research efforts.

“Dr. Peters’ faculty mentoring has and will continue to shape the future faculty leaders in our college,” Şahin said.

Peters earned his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, his master’s degree in applied ecology and conservation biology from Frostburg State University and his bachelor’s degree in biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was also a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.