APLU Announces 2025 Board on Health and Human Sciences Award Winners

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Board on Health and Human Sciences (BHHS) today announced that four public university scholars will be honored with 2025 Board on Health and Human Sciences Awards. The annual awards will be presented to national leaders working to advance human sciences in higher education on March 25th. 

The awards support the development and stewardship of academic excellence in human sciences; elevate and leverage resources to support human sciences research, outreach, and teaching programs; and educate leaders regarding the capacity of human sciences to solve human problems. These honors are part of the broader BHHS mission of promoting the intellectual integrity and stature of the human sciences at APLU member institutions. The BHHS is an association of administrators of higher education units responsible for the research, outreach, and teaching programs in the health and human sciences at public research universities across the country. 

This year’s award winners are: 

2025 Outstanding Engagement Award 
Dr. Kale Monk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri and serves as the State Couple and Family Wellbeing Specialist for MU Extension. He earned his master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. focused on relationship science from the University of Illinois. Dr. Monk’s research centers on the intersection of romantic relationships and wellbeing, examining how couples maintain healthy connections and how unstable relationships impact mental health outcomes. He has authored more than 70 publications, including journal articles, books, and book chapters.  

2025 Undergraduate Research Mentor Award 
Dr. Lindsey Weiler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. She earned her BA in Psychology from Concordia University and both her MS in Human Development and Family Studies and her PhD in Applied Developmental Science from Colorado State University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Developmental Psychobiology Research Group at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Weiler’s research has significantly advanced the science of relational preventive programs, including the creation and evaluation of innovative trauma-informed models designed for children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.

Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award
Dr. Cathy Hockaday is a Human Sciences Extension and Outreach Specialist at Iowa State University. Since 2008, she has served as program manager and International Trainer for the federally and internationally recognized universal prevention program named Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14). For over 30 years, Dr. Hockaday’s focus has been on at-risk youth. She was the Co-Principal Investigator for several federal grants totaling over $3.7 million funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education, and National Institutes of Food and Agriculture.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Carolyn Dunn is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emerita in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. A registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist, she received her BS in nutrition at Meredith College and MS and PhD in nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  Dr. Dunn has been on faculty at NC State for 33 years, including eight years as department head.  As department head, she provided visionary and steady leadership, fostering a culture of inclusivity, innovation, and applied scholarship while guiding the department through growth and mentoring future leaders. Her influence extends deeply through her mentorship, shaping the careers of colleagues by encouraging ambition, supporting their development, and modeling empowering leadership. Through her enduring contributions to programs, people, and institutional culture, Dr. Dunn’s legacy continues to advance the field and improve communities nationwide.