One ISU professor has earned some much deserved time off after being named the recipient of a prestigious award in her field.

Mary Stieglitz, professor of art and design, has been named the Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar for 2003-04 in Iowa State’s new Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities. Stieglitz, also a photographer, was nominated for the award by colleague Brenda Jones, associate professor in art and design.

“I was absolutely thrilled when I found out I had won the award,” Stieglitz said. “It couldn’t have come at a better time in my career. I am extremely grateful to Iowa State and the center for this amazing opportunity.”

Sheryl St. Germain, director for the Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, said the award is the highest distinction a professor at Iowa State can receive.

Stieglitz was chosen unanimously for the award by a committee of 14 members, including St. Germain.

St. Germain said the award provides for a semester leave of absence to allow the scholar to pursue his or her own research interests. The scholar is not required to tell the committee how he or she is spending the semester leave.

“They have really been given the gift of time, and they can use it however they desire,” St. Germain said.

Stieglitz said she will be working on a photography project during her leave of absence, which she will take during the spring 2004 semester.

“I will be working on a retrospective project, which I hope will result in an artist’s book and/or exhibition of images,” she said. “I’ve been looking at my earlier work, and I’ve realized that it has come full circle and contains numerous connections. I’m hoping to illuminate the circular, yet connected, path that many of us take through my work in photography.”

The award also requires Stieglitz to give one lecture on campus.

“I want to discuss the ways in which photography has affected how we look at our environment, either as individuals or consumers, and the power of photographic images to help us see, and sense, and even make decisions about our environment,” Stieglitz said.

She said she wants to start her lecture, which will take place March 9, with some historical photographic elements, and continue with her own work.

Mark Engelbrecht, dean of the College of Design, said he is very proud of Stieglitz’s accomplishments.

“Mary Stieglitz, an internationally recognized photographer and an expert in visual literacy, is the very first winner of the Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar award to come from the College of Design, so we are doubly proud of her accomplishments,” Engelbrecht said via e-mail.