Emily Mower Provost receives Trudy Huebner Service Excellence Award

Emily Mower Provost, professor and senior associate chair of computer science and engineering, has received the Trudy Huebner Service Excellence Award. One of the College of Engineering’s highest distinctions for faculty service, the award honors her dedicated service to the University of Michigan community, particularly her efforts in mentoring and supporting graduate students.

In addition to her current roles, Mower Provost previously served as chair of the CSE Graduate Program Committee and as the first-ever CSE Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs. In these capacities, she has played pivotal roles in promoting a thriving, supportive, and successful graduate student community. She introduced public-facing mentorship plan statements, which allow each CSE faculty member to outline their expectations and styles to help students make informed decisions and reduce mismatches when forming advising and mentorship relationships. She was also instrumental in integrating CSE 601, “Introduction to Graduate Studies,” into the required curriculum for all incoming PhD students. Her advocacy and leadership ensured that the course became a cornerstone of the graduate program, fostering cohort building and promoting inclusivity within CSE. 

“Emily’s commitment to service and mentorship has transformed our graduate programs,” said Atul Prakash, Richard H. Orenstein Division Chair of Computer Science and Engineering. “Her visionary leadership and dedication have had an enduring impact on our division and students.”

In addition to her departmental achievements, Mower Provost has contributed significantly at the college and university levels, serving on numerous committees including the U-M ADVANCE Advisory Board and the Rackham Merit Fellowship Review Committee. Nationally, she offers her expertise as an Associate Editor for prestigious IEEE journals, while also fostering academic growth through her work with the Young Female Researchers in Speech Workshop.

Beyond her service contributions, Mower Provost’s research on affective computing and speech recognition has been broadly influential. Her work focuses on developing computational models that can interpret human emotions from vocal cues, advancing the field of human-computer interaction. These models have applications in various domains, including mental health assessment and assistive technologies. She has received numerous recognitions for her contributions in this area, including a Toyota Faculty Scholar Award, an NSF CAREER Award, the Oscar Stern Award for Depression Research, and more. 

Mower Provost received her PhD from the University of Southern California prior to joining the CSE faculty in 2012, where her dedication to service, education, and research continues to benefit both the academic community and society at large.