Dr. David Kraemer, Murray State University professor of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), has been selected as the 2008 Distinguished Professor by the MSU Alumni Association. Jim Carter, MSU vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the alumni association, presented Kraemer with the award.

Dr. Corky Broughton, dean of the MSU College of Health Sciences & Human Services, says Kraemer is well deserving of this award. “Dr. Dave Kraemer is a phenomenal teacher and mentor for faculty and students. He is well-liked all over campus. We are very proud and excited that Dr. Kraemer is receiving this prestigious award,” said Broughton. “Dave continues to maintain contacts with students well after graduation which brings another professional level to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, as well as to our college. He is a well deserving professor who continues to make Murray State University a great place to receive an education.”

A native of Menomonie , Wis. , Kraemer came to MSU in August of 1986. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Southern Illinois University in 1970, 1972 and 1992, respectively.

His professional accomplishments include an invitation in 1994 by the Technology Institute of Costa Rica in part with the U.S. Information Agency to participate in the Academic Specialist Program. Serving as a consultant, he provided workshops and seminars for OSHA professionals. In 1994 he published “Guidelines for Selection, Placement and Evaluation of Occupational Safety and Health Student Interns” for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. He was invited in 1996 by the Ministry of Labour of the People’s Republic of China to lecture and meet with government officials, university personnel and students in the OSH department in Beijing and Liaoning Province.

Kraemer is highly respected as a faculty member and professor according to former student and 2006 graduate Michael Brown. "I cannot begin to express the devotion, selfless service and compassion Dr. Kraemer has exhibited towards his students, faculty and staff of the Occupational Safety & Health Department,” said Brown. “His determination to heighten the success of each student is unparalleled and his dedication to the program is paramount. He goes above and beyond the call of his position humbly, never seeking recognition for extra work. To a man of many titles: chair, professor, advisor, colleague, employer, mentor, and all too many times, comedian, I can choose but one word to describe the impact he continues to have on my life; friend. He has been a prominent influence in my life and continues to inspire students everyday. Dr. Kraemer is a model educator and is most deserving of the Distinguished Professor award.”

His many awards and honors include the MSU Board of Regents Award for Teaching Excellence in 1989. In 1991 he was named Outstanding Faculty Member of the MSU Adult Outreach Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach. In 1992 he was elected as fellow of the American Academy of Safety Education. From 1993-1996 he served as a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) site visit evaluator participating in five site visitation teams. Kraemer also served as a program evaluator for the Related Area Commission/Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (RAC/ABET). He was recognized by the Louisville chapter of the American Cancer Society of Safety Engineers for his service to society, his community and the safety and health profession with the 1995-1996 Distinguished Service Award.

Implemented in 1964 by the MSU Alumni Association, the Distinguished Professor Award has been bestowed on 43 other faculty members, including last year’s recipient, Dr. Bonnie McNeely, associate professor of management in the College of Business and Public Affairs.

Kraemer received a Golden Apple and framed certificate along with a $1,000 cash award. Melissa Seay, senior OSH major from Benton , Ky. will also receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Alumni Association. Kraemer was recognized on April 24 th at the Faculty Recognition Dinner in the Curris Center on MSU’s campus and will also lead the faculty processionals at the spring and winter commencement ceremonies. His name will be added to the Distinguished Professor plaque located in the Easley Alumni Center.