A report of honors, awards, offices and other outstanding achievements of faculty and staff members.
Ronald J. Adrian, professor of theoretical and applied mechanics,
was elected to the National Academy of Engineering this spring. He was cited
for his "pioneering development of measurement techniques to characterize
single and multiphase turbulent flows, and for insightful interpretation
of turbulence measurements."
Bernice McNair Barnett, historical sociologist and professor of educational
policy studies and of sociology, has been elected chair of the national
Sociologists for Women in Society's Minority Scholar Committee. As chair,
Barnett is involved in fund-raising activities supporting doctoral study
for female minority Ph.D. sociology students and to facilitate integration
of minority female scholars into the sociology profession and its organizations.
Andrea H. Beller, professor of family economics, delivered the luncheon
address at the annual meeting of the American Council on Consumer Interests
in Nashville, Tenn., in March. Her address, "Small Change: Problems
and Prospects in Child Support," was based on her book "Small
Change: The Economics of Child Support." Published by Yale University
Press, the book was recently reprinted in a paperback edition.
Roslyn Berry, library clerk in the Mathematics Library, is the recipient
of a $400 award to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference
in New York City, July 4 through 10. Berry was selected by the Library Support
Staff Committee and is the first recipient of what will become an annual
award to a staff member. The American Library Association is the world's
largest national library association.
Richard Braatz, professor of chemical engineering, has received the
DuPont Young Faculty Fellow Award for his studies in large-scale systems
theory and application to processes in the petrochemical, chemical and pulp
paper industries. The award is given each year to one assistant professor
in the United States whose research is judged to be the most promising.
Paul Cooke, professor of veterinary biosciences, has received the 1996 American
Society of Andrology Young Andrologist Award for his research accomplishments.
Cooke, who serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Andrology and
of Molecular Andrology, was presented the award at the society's annual
meeting in April. He is studying thyroid hormone regulation of testicular
size and sperm production.
Floyd Dunn, professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering,
was honored by the world's largest technical professional society -- the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers -- at its annual honors
ceremony June 22 in Montreal. Dunn received the 1996 IEEE Edison Medal for
his "creative contributions to the fundamental knowledge of ultrasonic
propagation in and interactions with living systems." His efforts have
contributed to the safe and effective use of clinical diagnostic and therapeutic
ultrasound for prenatal evaluation, cancer treatment and other medical applications.
Govindjee, professor of biophysics in the department of plant biology,
has been awarded a Fulbright grant to lecture and conduct research in India.
Govindjee plans to lecture on "Photosynthesis: From Photons to Forest"
at several universities in India, especially at the University of Indore.
His research will be focused on the topic of "how plants protect themselves
from stress in our environment."
Barbara Kitchell, professor of veterinary clinical medicine, has
been elected president of the national Veterinary Cancer Society. The society
has about 500 members internationally. She will take office in October,
during the society's annual meeting in Monterey, Calif.
Janice Seitz, professor of vocational and technical education, has
received the Outstanding 1995 Faculty Award for Credit Programs from the
National University Continuing Education Association, Division of Special
Sessions, Certificate and Off-Campus Programs. Seitz is the director of
the Leadership Development Program in Transition for Students from Special
Populations. Under her direction, the LDP has grown both in size and reputation.
Seitz received her award in March at the NUCEA annual conference in Boston.
The awards committee said Seitz "represents an outstanding model for
continuing education faculty across the country."
Charles P. Slichter, professor of physics and chemistry, has received
the 1996 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize of the American Physical
Society "for his original and creative applications of the magnetic
resonance techniques to elucidate the microscopic properties of condensed
matter systems including, especially, superconductors." The award,
established in 1952, recognizes outstanding theoretical or experimental
contributions to condensed matter physics and consists of a $5,000 prize.
Franklin "Buzz" Spector, professor of art and design, has
been appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee on International Exhibitions,
National Endowment for the Arts, and the Fund for United States Artists
at International Festivals and Exhibitions.
Laura Valerius, professor of leisure studies, recently received the
second annual Alumni Association Educator's Award. Valerius was nominated
for the award by one of her students who praised her "enthusiasm and
caring nature" in teaching and advising undergraduate students.
Andrzej Wieckowski, professor of chemistry, was invited by the University
of Cincinnati to present the 1996 Procter & Gamble Lecture and Departmental
Colloquium. Wieckowski, who received the U.S. Department of Energy Prize
for Outstanding Scientific Accomplishment in Materials Chemistry in 1992,
spoke on the results of his recent studies in electrochemical phenomena
occurring at the solid/liquid interface.
Martha E. Williams, professor of information science, was awarded
the 1995 Watson Davis Award by the American Society for Information Science
(ASIS). She is the second person in the 50-plus year history of ASIS to
receive both the Award of Merit and the Watson Davis Award. She is currently
an adviser to the UI Student Chapter of ASIS. She won the Award of Merit,
ASIS's highest award, in 1984. And, for more than 20 years she has been
the editor in chief of the "Annual Review of Information Science and
Technology."
William R. Youngman, professor of art, was invited to give the keynote
talk at the World Congress Concrete in the Service of Mankind at the University
of Dundee, Scotland, this month. Among the attendees from more than 60 countries,
Youngman was the lone sculptor among a group of mostly civil engineers and
urban planners. He discussed his 35 years of work in concrete.
WILL-AM received an award for "outstanding community-oriented
programming in radio" from the Community Media Coalition of Champaign-Urbana.
The Community Media Coalition supports and encourages public service community
programming, particularly coverage of the local arts and programming that
serves under-represented populations.
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