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Cyril Ku, professor of computer science, Balmurli Natrajan, professor of anthropology, and Danielle Wallace, associate professor of Africana-world studies, were recognized during the University’s 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 28 as the recipients of the 2026 Faculty Excellence Awards.
Provost Joshua Powers presented the awards. Ku received the 2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Expression; Natrajan received the 2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Service, and Wallace received the 2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching; The awards were instituted in 2004 to recognize faculty achievement and contributions as the University celebrates the success of students at their graduation.
Ku was honored for his distinguished record of research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly leadership in the fields of data science, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, data mining, and software engineering. A member of the faculty since 2002, Ku gained scholarly recognition through pioneering work in deductive databases and intelligent information systems. His research, which has expanded to include publications that examine the application of text mining and AI in healthcare and criminal justice research, the integration of AI technologies into software engineering and education, and ethical frameworks for responsible AI development, has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals. Ku has served as principal or co-principal investigator on multiple major grants, including $3.3 million in funding through National Science Foundation programs and projects funded through the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Through the Data Science Research Lab, which he founded and directs, Ku has mentored numerous undergraduate researchers in AI, big data analytics, and machine learning, resulting in student publications, conference presentations, and meaningful research experiences.
Natrajan, who joined the faculty in 2005, was recognized for his engagement and leadership in a wide range of service to the institution. Currently serving a third term as chair of the Faculty Senate, he engaged faculty representatives in a strategic analysis of key areas for development in support of the strategic planning process. Natrajan, who has served as a department chair, is the founding director of WP’s Ghandian Forum for Peace and Justice. He was the inaugural director overseeing the launch of the University Core Curriculum (UCC) program in 2010 and again served as UCC director over the past two years to support the program’s revision, advancing programs centered on social justice and interdisciplinary learning. A member of various University committees and councils, including the Council for Equity and Justice, Natrajan has worked to develop innovative curricular programs in a variety of disciplines, and is active nationally in advancing inclusive scholarship and pedagogy, as well as research in his field of cultural anthropology. Natrajan’s grant initiatives include a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad to advance international educational experiences for area teachers. He is an advisory member of the Impact Passaic Steering Committee focusing on youth empowerment.
Wallace was honored for her consistent and transformative excellence in teaching, mentorship, curricular leadership, and University service since joining the faculty in 2012. Her excellence in teaching has received multiple campus honors, including the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award and the Roland Watts’ Outstanding Mentor Award presented by the Educational Opportunity Fund Program. Wallace, chair of the Department of Community and Social Justice Studies, teaches a wide range of undergraduate courses in Africana-world studies and leadership and professional studies, directs the Honors College Social Sciences Track, and serves as a mentor for doctoral students in the Doctor of Education in Leadership program. Building on a strong sociological foundation, many of Wallace’s scholarly publications and presentations focus on pedagogy and curricular innovation in Black studies. An Ubuntu Teaching Fellow with the Center for Teaching Excellence, Wallace leads the Social Justice Project on campus, which provides faculty development for those who wish to better integrate issues of race and ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality into their courses.
