Liberty biology professor receives CUSA Faculty Achievement Award
April 3, 2026 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement
Dr. Kyle Harris, a professor of zoology and zoo & wildlife biology in Liberty University’s Department of Biology & Chemistry, has been named a winner of the 2026 Conference USA Faculty Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding faculty members from each of the 11 schools and honors their dedication to teaching, commitment to their respective fields of study through research, and devotion to making a difference through service in their campus communities.
The awards program was established by the league’s presidents and chancellors to recognize exceptional contributions in teaching, research, and service. Each of the 11 recipients will automatically become the institutional nominee for the CUSA Professor of the Year, which will be voted on by the institution’s provosts.
“Today, we honor an exceptional group of faculty members whose dedication to teaching, innovation in research, and service to their communities elevates the mission of higher education,” said Dr. Alisa White, president of Sam Houston State University and chair of the CUSA Board of Directors, in a CUSA news release. “The Faculty Achievement Awards reflect the meaningful and lasting contributions they bring to their institutions and beyond.”
The 2026 award recipients represent a diverse range of disciplines, including education, engineering, linguistics, political science, biology, music and public health. Collectively, they have produced influential scholarship, secured significant research funding, earned prestigious national and international honors and engaged broadly as thought leaders in their fields.
“We are incredibly proud to see Dr. Kyle Harris recognized among Conference USA’s 2026 Faculty Achievement Award winners,” said School of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Heidi DiFrancesca. “This honor reflects Kyle’s deep commitment to academic excellence, meaningful scholarship, mentorship, and service, that advances both his discipline and our students. He represents the very best of the School of Health Sciences and the mission of our university.”
Harris was described by the awards body as “a dynamic biology educator and mentor whose work centers on immersive, field-based learning and undergraduate research.”
With expertise spanning ecology, zoology, aquatic biology and conservation, Harris teaches a wide range of courses while fostering a deep commitment in students to understand and steward the natural world. His teaching integrates hands-on research, including projects on biodiversity, aquatic ecosystems, and international conservation efforts. Harris has mentored more than 135 undergraduate researchers since 2015, maintaining an open and collaborative lab environment where students contribute to projects presented at regional, national, and international conferences. His global engagement includes leading field courses and research expeditions across Central and South America, where he collaborates with international scientists and contributes to biodiversity discovery and conservation. Through personalized mentorship and experiential learning, Harris equips students with the skills and passion to pursue careers in science while advancing understanding of the living world.
Harris spent eight years as a public high school biology and ecology teacher before coming to Liberty. His master’s research with the University of Nebraska at Kearney focused on a population study of the Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcius) in Bedford, Va.
