The Iowa Board of Regents has selected six outstanding University of Iowa faculty members, including Hans-Joachim Lehmler, College of Public Health associate dean for research and professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, to be honored for their extraordinary contributions and sustained record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. 

Each recipient of the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence 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. 

Lehmler has made world-renowned contributions to environmental health through his pioneering research on the toxicology of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other environmental contaminants. He leads a highly productive chemical toxicology laboratory and secured substantial extramural funding.

Lehmler has published more than 320 peer-reviewed articles and five books, earning nearly 12,000 citations. He has demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring, advising numerous PhD students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to successful careers. Lehmler also serves as director of the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, which is nationally recognized for its focus on advancing and translating research addressing environmental health problems, and deputy director of the Iowa Superfund Research Program, which works with partners to address health problems associated with superfund chemicals.

See the full list of 2025 recipients.