Dr. Karen M. Gil, a Lee G. Pederson Distinguish Professor of Clinical Psychology, is the 2017 recipient of the William F. Little Distinguished Service Award.
The William F. Little Award was established in 2009 by the College to recognize the distinguished service of Bill Little and to honor a faculty member who, in Dr. Little’s footsteps, has served the College with extraordinary distinction. Dr. Little was a member of the College of Arts and Sciences faculty for more than 40 years. He was a distinguished chemist and chair of the Chemistry Department, a former vice president of the UNC system, and a visionary leader who helped guide the development of the Research Triangle Park and Research Triangle Institute. He was also one of the founders of the Arts and Sciences Foundation.
Dr. Karen Gil joined the faculty in 1995 and emerged as a leader in the College of Arts and Sciences, serving as Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education from 2001-2004, Chair of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience from 2004-2007, and Senior Associate Dean for Social Sciences and Global Programs from 2007-2009. She provided creative leadership as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and as President of the Arts and Sciences Foundation from 2009-2015, strengthening the academic core amid a challenging period in the University’s history. Under her six-year tenure as Dean, Dr. Gil created the first new science departments in 40 years, advanced global education, enhanced the Program in Entrepreneurship, oversaw the expansion of Honors Carolina, and encouraged instructional innovations. She appointed the College’s first director of faculty diversity initiatives, hired more women in the sciences, and has served as a dedicated mentor to her graduate students. Dr. Karen Gil is a devoted scholar, visionary leader, and champion of the arts and sciences and a deserving recipient of the 2017 Little Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Gil was honored by the Arts and Sciences Foundation Board, Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and G. Munroe Coeby, Chair of the Board of Directors, at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 3, 2017.