story by Claire Miller
College of Education & Human Development Professor David Houchins and Kris Varjas, associate dean for research and doctoral studies, have been appointed Distinguished University Professors, effective July 1.
This designation is given to Georgia State University faculty based on their sustained and outstanding record in scholarship, instruction and service to their disciplines and the university.
Houchins is past president of the Council for Exceptional Children's Division for Research, and he has been the principal investigator on more than $10 million in federal grant funding from organizations such as the Office of Special Education Programs and the Institute of Education Sciences. His areas of interest include literacy interventions for secondary students with high-incidence disabilities, particularly in alternative schools. He has an extensive publication record in literacy instruction, professional development and high-quality research for students with high-intensive needs. Most recently, he authored publications on mixed methods research in special education and evidence-based, literacy multi-tiered systems of support in juvenile corrections.
Varjas served as director of the college’s Center for Research on School Climate from 2011-2022 before becoming associate dean. Her primary area of research lies in investigating mental health issues in schools and communities. Her international collaborative research efforts have included work in China, Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Sweden and South Africa, where she's been an integral part of developing, implementing and evaluating culturally specific health and mental health interventions. Varjas has successfully secured $13.4 million in funding as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator, and she has served in several roles across 28 externally funded grants totaling $34.7 million. She has published four co-authored books, 70 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 11 book chapters. She has chaired or co-chaired dissertations for 22 students, 12 of whom have since entered academia. Varjas was named president-elect for the International School Psychology Association in 2023 and has received awards from the Georgia Association of School Psychologists and Georgia State University for her work with diverse populations in the U.S. and internationally.
Houchins and Varjas join four other CEHD Distinguished University Professors: Deron Boyles, Jennifer Esposito, Daphne Greenberg and Cynthia Puranik.
“We congratulate these two professors for being promoted to a university-level rank,” said CEHD Dean Paul Alberto. “It is a recognition of their levels of scholarship and the outstanding contributions they’ve made to both the college and Georgia State University.”
The college’s newest Distinguished University Professors will be formally recognized at Georgia State’s Celebrating Faculty Excellence reception in September.