Meet Dr. A. Ligia Focsan, Winner of VSU’s 2024 Presidential Excellence Award for Research

Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of Valdosta State University, recently honored Dr. A. Ligia Focsan with the 2024 Presidential Excellence Award for Research. She joined the faculty of VSU’s College of Science and Mathematics in 2011. She currently serves as a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences.

VALDOSTA — Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of Valdosta State University, recently honored Dr. A. Ligia Focsan with the 2024 Presidential Excellence Award for Research.

The Presidential Excellence Award for Research recognizes a faculty member with a strong record of creative scholarship.

Focsan joined the faculty of VSU’s College of Science and Mathematics in 2011. She currently serves as a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences.

VSU: What are your favorite classes to teach and your favorite topics to research?

Focsan: I don’t have favorite classes to teach; I truly enjoy them all equally. I appreciate the ones that require less preparation just as much as the more challenging ones. No matter how tough a subject may seem at first, I know that with time and deep understanding I’ll come to love it.

I do have a favorite research topic — all about carotenoids. While it might seem like I love everything about them, carotenoid radicals have posed challenges for me for nearly two decades. Even after writing an entire book on the subject, I can't say I've come to love them, as there's still so much left to understand.

VSU: Why do you believe it is important for faculty to conduct research and contribute new knowledge to their fields?

Focsan: Every contribution, no matter how small it may seem, is a vital piece of a much larger puzzle. When combined with other pieces of information, they can help answer questions that may lead to significant advancements in your field — either right now or in the future.

VSU: How many publications, presentations, and other scholarship have you completed? What drives you to find time outside of teaching, mentoring, and serving the university to conduct this research? 

Focsan: I have authored and co-authored 25 peer-reviewed publications, 75 conference presentations, contributed a chapter to a carotenoid book, and written a book on research related to carotenoid radicals over the past 35 years. Among teaching, mentoring, service, and research, the latter has been my greatest challenge, ultimately leading me to excel in it. For me, it wasn't just about finding time for research; it was about having a mentor who believed in me, and that motivated me to succeed.

Now, I strive to be that same kind of mentor for my students — someone who believes in them, inspiring them to rise to the occasion.

VSU: What advice do you have for other faculty who wish to get more involved in research?

Focsan: Set aside dedicated time for research. I personally prefer not to fit research in my teaching schedule, but I always take advantage of any large time blocks to get things done uninterrupted. I also suggest that faculty set personal research goals with deadlines that are earlier than the official ones, and not allow setbacks to throw them off for too long. 

As the winner of the Presidential Excellence Award for Research, Focsan received a framed certificate and a $1,000 cash prize.