2026 Great Teacher Award winners honored

For more than six decades, the University of Kentucky has celebrated teachers who leave a lasting mark on their students’ lives. That tradition continued Feb. 17 as six educators were honored as the 2026 Great Teacher Award recipients, each selected through a process that begins with heartfelt nominations from the students they teach and mentor every day. 

Established in 1961, the Great Teacher Award is the university’s longest-running recognition of teaching excellence. Student nominations form the foundation of the selection process, highlighting faculty who have made a meaningful impact in and beyond the classroom. Final honorees are chosen by the UK Alumni Association’s awards committee in partnership with the student leadership organization Omicron Delta Kappa. 

The 2026 Great Teacher Award recipients are: 

• Zach Agioutantis, Ph.D., Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering (Mining Engineering)

• Robin Cooper, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences (Biology)

• Patrick Lee Lucas, Ph.D., College of Design (Interiors) 

• ToniMarie Marchioni, D.M.A., College of Fine Arts (Music — oboe) 

• Mark Prendergast, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences (Neuroscience) 

• Paul Priyesh, Ph.D., Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Animal and Food Sciences)

Each faculty member was surprised in their classroom, lab or office during the fall semester with news of the honor. They were formally recognized Tuesday evening at the UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award Recognition Dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington. Each recipient received a commemorative award, a $4,000 stipend and recognition on the floor of Rupp Arena during the Georgia vs. Kentucky men’s basketball game. 

Zach Agioutantis 

Zach Agioutantis is the Mining Engineering Foundation Professor and chair of the Department of Mining Engineering. A leading expert in underground mining, his research advances equipment automation and user-friendly ground control software for safer, more efficient operations. He earned his engineering diploma from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, in 1982 and completed his master’s (1984) and Ph.D. (1987) degrees at Virginia Tech. After 25 years on the faculty in Greece, he joined the University of Kentucky in 2014. 

Agioutantis has written more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and contributed to more than 250 conference publications. His achievements have been recognized with the American Institute of Mining Engineers Howard N. Eavenson Award, multiple Outstanding Faculty Awards and his selection as a 2025-26 UK University Research Professor. He has served on editorial boards, national and international advisory boards, and currently advises the American Rock Mechanics Association student chapter and the Mu Nu Gamma student chapter. 

Robin Cooper 

Robin Cooper is a professor of neurobiology and neurophysiology. His research focuses on the mechanisms underlying synaptic differentiation and communication between neurons and muscle cells. A comparative physiologist, he has spent decades investigating how living systems work and fostering the same curiosity in his students. Cooper’s lab uses invertebrate models — including crayfish and Drosophila — to explore synaptic transmission, behavior and receptor subtypes that influence the larval Drosophila heart. 

Cooper earned his bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and zoology from Texas Tech University in 1983 and his Ph.D. in physiology there in 1989, followed by postdoctoral training in Switzerland and Toronto. He joined UK in 1996 and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UK in 2012. An accomplished scholar, he has published extensively, served as editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Zoological Research, and is deeply engaged in community outreach and STEM education. 

Patrick Lee Lucas 

Patrick Lee Lucas helps students bridge design history and practice. An award-winning instructor and international presenter, he inspires others to recognize design as a fundamental form of human expression and to understand how material environments shape a rapidly changing world. As both historian and practitioner, he is known for synthesizing ideas and interpreting how concepts take form in designed spaces. He earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati, a master’s degree in interior design from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. in American studies from Michigan State University. His scholarly contributions include numerous publications, notably Athens on the Frontier: Grecian-Style Architecture in the Great Valley of the West, 1820-1860. At UK, Lucas has held significant leadership roles, including director of the School of Interiors, director of International Programs in the College of Design, Provost’s Faculty Fellow and service on major academic committees. 

ToniMarie Marchioni 

ToniMarie Marchioni is professor of oboe and joined the UK faculty in 2013. She has performed as a guest musician and featured artist with ensembles and music festivals around the country and is a member of the faculty chamber ensemble, The Maribo Trio. Her vast experience as a performer has given her insight into the technical and artistic aspects of music-making, which she brings into the classroom. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and her master’s degree and D.M.A. from The Juilliard School. She is involved with the International Double Reed Society, Kentucky Governors School for the Arts and Kentucky Music Educators Association. As a faculty advisor of UK’s Double Reed Club, she encourages students to connect with the musical community. She has been published in The Juilliard Journal and Carnegie Hall’s Playbill, and her commercial album “Légende: Concours for Oboe and Piano” is available on all major streaming platforms. 

Mark Prendergast 

Mark Prendergast is an endowed professor and director of the neuroscience Bachelor of Science degree program. His research is focused on examining biochemical mechanisms involved with the development of alcohol and drug dependence. In addition, his lab research efforts include the study of novel drug targets, such as stress hormone receptors systems, which might be targeted in the treatment of dependence. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, his master’s degree from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He joined the UK faculty in 1999. Prendergast is the faculty advisor of NeuroCATS, a 600-member student organization dedicated to expanding neuroscience education. He is a well-published researcher in the study of substance use disorder.

Paul Priyesh 

Paul Priyesh is an associate professor of food biosciences who, in addition to teaching, works with food producers, processors and regulatory agencies. His field experience allows him to use real world examples in the classroom, providing his students with the latest relevant information. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Vellore Institute of Technology in India and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. Priyesh’s research focuses on pathogen reduction and compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act. He has presented his work nationally and internationally and has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and conference abstracts. Priyesh is the co-advisor for the UK Food Science Club and he serves as a Campus Security Authority. He received the 2017 Outstanding New Extension Faculty Award and was awarded the 2025 Food Safety Leadership Award by Show Me Food Safety for his outstanding contributions to the food safety field.