Elena Grigorenko, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Psychology, is the recipient of the 2025 Esther Farfel Award, the University of Houston’s highest faculty honor.
Grigorenko, whose work in child and adolescent learning and developmental disorders has touched families around the world, is being honored for her research, her teaching and her service to UH.
"Receiving the Esther Farfel Award is a profound honor,” Grigorenko said. “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of my colleagues, students and the entire University of Houston community. I am inspired to continue our shared pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and service."
Since she arrived at UH a decade ago, Grigorenko has secured millions of dollars in funding for her research from organizations including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, along with numerous private foundations.
“The Farfel Award is presented annually to those faculty who are transforming their respective disciplines through groundbreaking research, teaching excellence and service to the community. It also recognizes those professors who consistently raise the global profile of the University of Houston,” said Diane Z. Chase, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at UH. “Elena Grigorenko exemplifies all of the above and is richly deserving of this honor. We’re pleased to acknowledge her hard work and dedication to our institution.”
Previously, Grigorenko earned a UH Faculty Excellence Award in 2021. She holds a Ph.D. in general (cognitive) psychology from Moscow State University in Russia and a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and genetics from Yale University. She has also published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books over the course of her career.
“Dr. Grigorenko embodies the very best of what it means to be a scholar at the University of Houston,” said Dan O’Connor, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. “Her groundbreaking research, tireless mentorship and unwavering commitment to academic excellence and professional service have made a lasting impact on our university community and the world. The Farfel Award is a fitting recognition of her extraordinary contributions, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate her achievements.”
Grigorenko joins a long and distinguished list of outstanding faculty members to win the Farfel Award, which has been presented annually since 1979 and honors the memory of Esther Farfel, wife of longtime UH System Board of Regents Chair Aaron Farfel.