PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 25, No. 19, April 20, 2006

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

ACES | ALS | Business | Campus Rec | Engineering | FAA | LAS | Student Affairs |

agricultural, consumer and environmental sciences
Robert Easter, dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, was among four experts appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a member of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development. The primary role of the board is to advise the U.S. Agency for International Development on agricultural development priorities and issues.

applied life studies
Weimo Zhu, professor of kinesiology, was appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports’ science board. Zhu was selected to serve on the board because of his significant contributions to the research and science of physical activity, fitness and health. The board provides recommendations in the areas of program development and evaluation.

business
Martha Green, administrative secretary, received the 2006 College of Business Outstanding Staff Award. Green is described as the resident expert on Banner HR who has a strong customer-service orientation and an open communication style.
Lois Meerdink, assistant dean for business career services, received the 2006 College of Business Academic Professional Award. Meerdink is noted for her support of students and for fostering a strong atmosphere of teamwork in her department.
Both were nominated by their peers and selected by college committees and will be presented with their awards at the college’s awards ceremony in late April.

campus recreation
Eunmi Moon, assistant director of print communications for the Division of Campus Recreation, received two National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Creative Excellence Awards in the categories of Special Event Publication and Graphic Communications for a Programming Publication. The awards were announced at the annual conference in Louisville, Ky.

engineering
Predrag S. Hrnjak, research professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, is a member of the Communication-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center’s CO2 Development Team, a research team that has been selected for the U.S. Army’s 2004-05 Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition Award. The award is the Army’s highest honor for outstanding environmental stewardship during the acquisition of weapon systems that will support the nation’s military objectives. The research team collaborated to design, fabricate and test an innovative, high-performance and environmentally responsible cooling system on one of the most critical tactical wheeled vehicles in the Army inventory, the M1114 Up-Armored HMMWV.

Paul Selvin, professor of physics and of biophysics, won the 2006 Sackler International Prize in Biophysics for single molecule biophysics with emphasis on application of new technologies that are widely applicable to a variety of biological physics problems. The award recognizes Selvin’s work in revealing the dynamics of molecular motors, which play major roles in our understanding of cellular biology. Selvin, who also is a John Bardeen Faculty Scholar, shares the prize with Harvey McMahon of the Medical Research Council of Cambridge University. It will be awarded at a ceremony at Tel Aviv University May 23.

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fine and applied arts
Jonathan Fineberg, Gutgsell Professor of Art History in the School of Art and Design, delivered the annual Lucy Daniels Lectures on Art and Psychoanalysis Feb. 4-6 in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. The lectures were delivered at the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Lucy Daniels Foundation and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 
liberal arts and sciences

Scott Denmark, professor of chemistry, received the 2005 AstraZeneca Excellence in Chemistry Distinguished Lectureship Award.

Martin Gruebele, professor of chemistry, was awarded a 2005 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants about 20 of these awards annually to young, top-flight scientists and scholars from outside Germany who have been recognized as outstanding researchers in their fields.

Paul Hergenrother, professor of chemistry, was named a top innovator under age 35 for 2005 by Technology Reviews. The magazine publishes a list of researchers under age 35 from all disciplines, from universities, corporations or startups that they consider the top technology innovators. Hergenrother also received  a Gunsalus Scholar Award from the LAS Executive Committee.

Neil Kelleher, professor of chemistry, won the 2006 Arthur F. Findeis Award for Achievements by a Young Analytical Scientist. The award is given to recognize and encourage outstanding contributions to the fields of analytical chemistry.
Todd Martinez, professor of chemistry, was named a fellow of the American Physical Society.

Ben McCall, professor of chemistry, received a 2005 National Science Foundation CAREER Award. The award is the most prestigious NSF award in support of the early career-development activities of teacher-scholars.

Christina White, professor of chemistry, was awarded a 2006 NSF CAREER Award. White will use fundamental principles of organotransition metal chemistry to devise strategies to solve problems in organic synthesis.

student affairs
Patricia E. Askew, retired vice chancellor for student affairs, and William L. Riley, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, were presented the Pillar of the Profession Awards from the Foundation Board of Directors of NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education). The awards, the highest honor given by the association,  were presented at the foundation’s annual reception March 13 in Washington, D.C. Askew was recognized for her service to students and higher education throughout her career. Riley was acknowledged for his deep commitment to the total education of undergraduate students as well as his work in alcohol behavior and education.

Three Student Affairs staff members will receive the 2006 Student Affairs Outstanding Staff Award at a reception on May 4. They will be recognized for their significant contributions to the lives of students and to the campus community. They are: 

L. Marc Goldman, assistant director for academic programs, University Housing.
Curtis B. McKay, director, LGBT Concerns, Office of the Dean of Students.
Sara E. Thompson, program director, Illinois Leadership Center, Office of the Vice Chancellor.

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