Laurie McNeil, a professor and former chairwoman of the department of physics and astronomy, received the 2011 William F. Little Award at the College of Arts and Sciences board of directors meeting Friday.

The award was presented by Karen Gil, dean of the college, and James Alexandre, chairman of the Arts and Sciences Foundation board of directors. It recognizes distinguished services within the college.

The college established the award in 2009 to recognize the late William Little, a UNC chemist who worked at the University for more than 40 years. It honors faculty or staff members who follow in his footsteps by serving the school with distinction.

The award recipient is selected by the dean and senior associate deans.

McNeil has been a member of the UNC college faculty since 1984. She is an expert on condensed matter and materials physics, and she oversaw a three-year review and revision of the University’s undergraduate general education curriculum.

She also helped to establish UNC-BEST, a collaborative initiative between the college and the School of Education that helps prepare science majors to become high school science teachers.