Two OU Faculty Receive Teaching, Research Awards

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. - Andrew Liew, M.D., associate professor in the Department Of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and associate dean of undergraduate medical education at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine in Tulsa has received the OU College of Medicine’s 2025 Stanton L. Young Master Teacher Award. Rodney Tweten, Ph.D., a George Lynn Cross Professor of Research in the Department Of Microbiology and Immunology in the OU College of Medicine has received the inaugural Stanton L. Young Excellence in Research Award.

Stanton L. Young Master Teacher Award

Created by the late Mr. Stanton L. Young and his wife, Barbara, the Master Teacher Award, currently in its 42nd year, is given to a truly inspiring teacher, one who goes beyond excellence in conveying knowledge and touching lives. Master Teachers are respected for their professionalism, excellence in their discipline, and strong personal involvement with students. They inspire students by exemplifying their commitment as physicians and scientists and by their qualities as human beings. This award comes with a $15,000 prize.

“Dr. Andrew Liew embodies the essence of the Stanton L. Young Master Teacher Award in his ability to teach while also serving as a role model,” said Ian F. Dunn, M.D., executive dean of the OU College of Medicine. “His impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the future of medicine through mentorship and inspiring leadership.”

After earning an undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago and graduating from the OU College of Medicine, Liew started his academic medicine career in 2016 as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, rising to associate professor and directing the psychiatry clerkship for five years. In 2022, he took on the role of assistant dean of undergraduate medical education for the OU School of Community Medicine and now serves in the associate dean role. He is board-certified in adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry.

Liew teaches across all levels of medical education, including medical students, physician assistant students, residents and fellows.

In their nomination letters, Liew’s students shared that when they look back at their medical school experience, they will clearly remember working with him and try “to emulate his compassion, communication skills, knowledge and excellent patient care.” He is described as an excellent mentor and role model, dedicated to his students’ growth and success. Nominees said his ability to break down the challenging material, while fostering a sense of teamwork and curiosity, sets him apart as an educator and beloved teacher.

Stanton L. Young Excellence in Research Award

Created this year, the Stanton L. Young Excellence in Research Award was established with the support of the Stanton L. Young Foundation, the University Hospitals Authority and Trust and the Presbyterian Health Foundation. This award highlights the incredible contributions of research in academic medicine. It is awarded to recognize and support groundbreaking research that advances knowledge, has the potential to improve patients' lives, and drives the university's academic mission forward. This prestigious award of recognition and a $15,000 prize is the highest honor bestowed by the College of Medicine to honor faculty whose research is characterized by innovation and scientific rigor.

Rodney Tweten is an endowed professor in microbiology and immunology, a President’s Associate’s Presidential Professor and was named the Joseph J. Ferretti Endowed Chair in 2025. In 1985, he came to OU to embark on a career-long focus on studying bacterial toxins and virulence factors in human diseases. His discoveries have broadly impacted vaccine design, microbiome dynamics and immunology. 

“The Excellence in Research Award promotes the important research work being done in the College of Medicine. Dr. Tweten’s long-term commitment to a high level of research over decades sets him apart from his peers,” said Dunn. “His example of mentorship will allow his legacy to live on in his students and his work.”

The inaugural Excellence in Research honoree has spent the last 40 years building an internationally recognized research program. His colleagues say he is well-known for his unwavering commitment to the highest standards of experimental rigor, and by every measure, he is in the top echelon of scientists in his field.

Tweten completed his doctorate in microbiology from Kansas State University and did post-doctoral work at the University of California.

His record of excellence has lasted decades. His publications include more than 20 papers with an impact factor greater than 10. Remarkably, he maintained funding from the National Institutes of Health continuously for over 40 years and is one of only three recipients of the highly prestigious NIH MERIT (Method to Extend Research in Time) awards in the history of the OU Health Sciences campus. According to the NIH, these awards “provide long-term grant support to investigators whose research competence and productivity are distinctly superior and who are highly likely to continue to perform in an outstanding manner.” 

About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.