Dr. Lisa Ellis has been named the 2024-2025 Houston Christian University (HCU) Piper Professor. Dr. Ellis is an Associate Professor of Biology in the College of Science and Engineering.
The Piper Professor Award , presented by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, honors exceptional teaching at colleges and universities across Texas. Each year, the Foundation selects ten educators who demonstrate a deep commitment to their professions and have made a meaningful difference in the lives of their students and communities. Every fall, HCU selects one faculty member to serve as the University’s nominee for this prestigious award.
Piper Professor nominees who are selected as university candidates each year are submitted to the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation to be considered for statewide recognition.
Dr. Ellis holds a PhD in Biology from Texas A&M University and a BS with Honors from Sam Houston State University. She serves as Program Coordinator for the Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology BS programs and is a Secondary Athletics Certification Officer and member of the QEP Implementation Committee.Her teaching spans introductory to advanced courses, with a focus on metacognitive learning strategies to support student success, and her research explores genetic and environmental influences on fruit fly development and behavior.
Other distinguished nominees for this year’s HCU Piper Professor Award included Dr. Ellen Clardy, Assistant Professor of Economics in the Archie Dunham College of Business, Dr. Shawn Kent, Associate Professor of Education in the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences, Tiffany Bergeron, Assistant Professor of Visual Arts in the College of Arts & Humanities Dr. Marybeth Bagget, Professor of English and Cultural Apologetics and Angela Willis, Assistant Professor of Nursing in the Linda Dunham School of Nursing.
Dr. Stanley Napper, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, thanked Dr. Ellis and each nominee for providing outstanding service to the University and its students.