Achievements

A report of honors, awards, offices and other outstanding achievements
of faculty and staff members.

Philip Best, professor of physiology, received the A. Paul Naney Research
Award for 1995-96.

James Kuklinski, professor of political science, testified before the
Subcommittee on the Constitution, a unit of the House Judiciary Committee,
on Oct. 25. The hearings dealt with the social and economic effects of
affirmative action.

Paul Lauterbur, professor of medical information science, has been elected
a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Inc. Senior member is the highest professional grade for which application
may be made and requires experience reflecting professional maturity.

Anita Povich, communications specialist/publications editor for the College
of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, was elected to a
two-year term on the Board of Directors of Agricultural Communicators in
Education (ACE). She will serve as director of the North Central Region,
ACE's largest group. Povich recently received a gold award in the
four-color periodical category at the ACE annual meeting, at which she
presented a paper on strategies for building communications performance in
a more demanding administrative environment.

Edward M. Reingold, professor of computer science, has been selected a
fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery. The designation of
fellow is bestowed upon those ACM members who have distinguished themselves
by outstanding technical and professional achievements in the field of
information technology.

Robert D. Espeseth, former chair of the Military Education Council and
recently retired professor of leisure studies and Cooperative Extension
Service, was recently presented with the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
by the Department of the Army. Espeseth was cited "for distinquished
service as chairman of the University of Illinois' Military Education
Council ... and for his foresight and leadership, which has increased
awareness of the ROTC programs on campus and improved the relationship
between the ROTC departments and the university administration."

The Secretariat, an organization of supervisory-level staff employees at
the UI, has awarded Terry Ruprecht, director of the Operation and
Maintenance Division, its 1995 Boss of the Year award. Ruprecht was
nominated by Judy Corray, transcribing secretary at O&M. Other nominees
were Hassan Aref, head of the department of theoretical and applied
mechanics; Dan Cotton, computer coordinator, Cooperative Extension Service;
James Desigio, head, Instructional Media Utilization and Engineering
Services; Ann Riley, administrative aide, Beckman Institute; and Staci
Tankersley, coordinator of research programs, department of electrical and
computer engineering. The Boss of the Year Committee was chaired by Shirley
Dipert, electrical and computering engineering. She was assisted by HiDee
Ekstrom and Elaine Sampson, both animal sciences; Georgia Franzen, School
of Chemical Sciences; Mary Fruhling, Grants and Contracts; Jacquelyn Osby,
College of Communications.

Four UI researchers - Richard C. Alkire, Martha Gillette, Richard M. Martin
and Stanley Wasserman - are among 273 scientists recently elected fellows
in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The fellowship
recognizes "efforts toward advancing science or fostering applications that
are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished," according to the
association.  Alkire, vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate
College, was elected for his contributions in chemical engineering and
materials science. Gillette was selected for her research in the biological
sciences.  She is a professor of cell and structural biology, a professor
in the College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, and an affiliate of the
university's Beckman Institute. Martin, a professor of physics and an
affiliate of the Beckman Institute, was chosen for his research in physics.
Wasserman, a professor of psychology, sociology and statistics, was
selected for his contributions in the field of psychology.  He also is an
affiliate of the Beckman Institute.