The Big 12 announced its Faculty of the Year Awards on Feb. 9, 2026, and the University of Utah’s honoree is Film & Media Arts assistant professor Hubbel Palmer. Congratulations!

These prestigious awards are given each year to one faculty member from each Big 12 institution to award “excellence in research and innovation.”

“This is an incredible thrill and a humbling honor,” said Hubbel Palmer. He thanked the Department of Film & Media Arts Chair Tim Palmer and is “grateful to Dean Scheib, Associate Dean Shen (who nominated me) and everyone in the College of Fine Arts Dean’s office for their constant support.”

While the Big 12 is an athletics organization, it deeply values the academic success of its institutions, stating that “performance in the classroom is just as important as accolades on the field.”

“We are constantly looking for ways to highlight how Big 12 faculty continue to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders,” said Big 12 Chief Impact Officer Jenn Hunter. Palmer stands out amongst this year’s cohort of honorees as one of two professors from the arts.”

The other is Heidi Hornick-Parsons, an esteemed art historian from Baylor, and they are joined in recognition by faculty members in disciplines from astronomy and math to psychology and neuroscience.

“Having now worked alongside Hubbel for six months,” said Tim Palmer. “I’m doubly delighted as I know him to be a lovely person and colleague, a humble, passionate, committed teacher and a huge part of our artistic community. There is no one more deserving of an honor like this.”

Hubbel Palmer is known for his screenwriting work on films like “Masterminds” (2016) and “A Minecraft Movie” (2025), the latter of which is the second highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time and one of the top 50 highest-grossing U.S. films of all time. Hubbel Palmer also wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-nominated animated short film “Ninety-Five Senses.”

In his time at the University of Utah, Hubbel Palmer has been named 2024 Career Mentor of the Year by the U Career Success Center and the 2024 College of Fine Arts Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor.

Hubbel Palmer was sure to note that the Department of Film & Media Arts and its collegial atmosphere have played a factor in his success. “Film & Media Arts has been such a supportive and unified home… This is a department where everyone is achieving great things and where colleagues care about each other’s research, even meeting regularly to share nascent ideas and solicit thoughtful feedback.”

The collegiality is a two-way street.

“Everyone in our department thinks Hubbel is fantastic,” said Tim Palmer, “and now the world knows why.”

The Big 12 recognizes that these awards showcase the “vast opportunities available to students pursuing an education on Big 12 campuses.” Hubbel Palmer also noted that his own rigorous creative research pursuits as part of an R1 University have impacted his teaching: “Our outside endeavors make us better teachers, anxious to shape our students into nimble professionals who can navigate a complex and constantly changing field, all while preserving their voice as artists.”

With this award, Hubbel Palmer is a shining example of excellence in the Big 12, and particularly at the University of Utah.