The Iowa Board of Regents has selected six University of Iowa faculty members to be honored for extraordinary contributions and sustained record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Among the winners of the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence is Fred Stern, George D. Ashton Professor of Hydroscience and Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering. Each recipient receives a $1,500 stipend. Awardees were selected by committees appointed by shared governance in collaboration with UI administration and confirmed by the Board of Regents.

Stern is an internationally recognized leader in ship hydrodynamics whose research has elevated the UI’s global reputation in naval engineering. He built IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering’s ship hydrodynamics program into a leading center for advanced experiments, modeling and simulation.

Stern led development of CFDShip-Iowa, a simulation tool that supports the U.S. Navy and other researchers in physical understanding and designing safer, more efficient, and cost-effective vessels. He also oversaw IIHR’s major upgrades to its tow tank and initiated the building of its wave basin facilities. Over his career, he has secured nearly $50 million in research funding and strengthened longstanding partnerships with the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research along with many international collaborations.

His scholarship includes more than 220 journal articles and 300 conference papers, and he has received honors from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Stern has mentored more than 50 graduate students and contributed significantly to naval engineering workforce development.

Learn more about the winners of the 2026 Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.