Danielle Benoit, Lorry Lokey Chair of the Department of Bioengineering, has been recognized by the Office of the Provost with the Outstanding Department Chair Award. The award is given to leaders who exemplify excellence in guiding their departments, supporting faculty and students, and fostering a thriving academic community. 
 

In a letter nominating Benoit for the award, UO administrators highlighted her leadership style, noting her transparency, inclusiveness and a commitment to fostering community. They pointed to her active mentorship of faculty, her recognition of both professional and personal milestones, and her introduction of practices such as structured monthly faculty meetings, a monthly lunch series and a comprehensive onboarding process to support new faculty during their first year. 

Benoit has also advanced departmental goals by guiding faculty hiring and strengthening curriculum development. Her efforts have included leading the university’s proposal for the National Science Foundation’s BioFoundries Award and co-organizing the Next Gen Biomaterials Workshop, which convened leaders from across academia, industry, national labs and scientific publishing. 

The award includes a $5,000 honorarium, which may be taken as a stipend or directed to her academic support account, and will be presented during the Summit for Academic Leaders.