Honors and awards

February 2012

ELPS Friedel speaks at the White House

On Friday, March 2, Janice Friedel, an associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Iowa State; and Stephen Katsinas, professor and director of the Higher Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, spoke to the domestic policy issues staff in the White House in Washington D.C., on the topic “Rural Community Colleges and Pell Grants: Exploding the Urban Myth that Pell Grants Primarily Serve, Minority Students at Urban Community Colleges.”

Thiel named Materials Research Society fellow

Pat Thiel, Distinguished Professor in chemistry, has been named a 2012 Fellow of the Materials Research Society. Fellows are outstanding members of the society whose sustained and distinguished contributions to the advancement of materials research are internationally recognized. The society consists of more than 16,000 members from the United States and other nations.

Hong earns young investigator award

Mei Hong, professor of chemistry, is this year's co-recipient of the Irving Sigal Young Investigator Award, presented by the Protein Society. The award, sponsored by Merck Research Laboratories, recognizes a significant contribution to the study of proteins by a scientist in the early stage of her or his career. The Protein Society is the leading international society devoted to furthering research and development in protein science. The other co-recipient this year is Tarun Kapoor of Rockefeller University.

Houk wins analytical chemistry award

Sam Houk, professor of chemistry, has received the 2012 Award in Spectrochemical Analysis by the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry. The award is for advancing the analytical fields of spectrochemical analysis and optical spectrometry, specifically for Houk's work in ICP mass spectrometry.

Long earns math prize, fellowship

The Association for Women in Mathematics and Cornell University have announced that ISU's Ling Long, associate professor of mathematics, will receive the 2012-13 Ruth I. Michler Memorial Prize. The prize grants a mid-career woman in academia a residential fellowship in the Cornell University mathematics department without teaching obligations. Long is receiving the Michler Prize because of her wide range of mathematical talents. Her research involves modular forms for finite index subgroups of the modular group.

Karriker receives Distinguished Alumni Award from Mississippi State

Locke Karriker, associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, has received the 2012 Alumnus of the Year Award from Mississippi State University. The award recognizes the achievements of alumni whose personal and professional service exemplifies the mission of Mississippi State's College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Eight staff members receive CYtation Awards

The following P&S staff members are recipients of the Fall 2011 CYtation Award, which recognizes individuals who perform above and beyond the call of duty, do something extraordinarily well, or act in such a way as to make a very real difference in the institution: Beth Foreman, Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Services; Diane Jepsen, Genetics, Development & Cell Biology; Peggy Witmer, University Information Systems; Kayla Kaetzel, Human Resource Services; Chris Fowler, Margaret Sloss Women’s Center; Carole Gill, Accounting/Controller’s Department; Todd Huges, Information Technology Services; Andy Terry, Information Technology Services.
 

Shanks named to U.S. Department of Energy committee

Jacqueline Shanks, ISU engineering, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee. As one of four engineers on this 25-member national committee, Shanks lends her expertise in biorenewable and environmental engineering research to recommend solutions to national biological and environmental issues.

Dell elected chair of regional theater group

Assistant professor of theatre Brad Dell was elected to serve as vice chair and, subsequently, chair of Region V of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. His appointment begins later this year and will last a total of 6 years.