PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 22, No. 2, July 18, 2002

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

broadcasting
WILL-TV producer Tim Hartin is one of 18 television producers selected to attend the Corporation for Public Broadcasting/PBS Producers Academy Workshop at WGBH in Boston July 14-20.

Hartin was chosen from 250 applicants based on his past television production experience, current projects, the strength of his video presentation and storytelling skills, and recommendations received.

In addition, Hartin and WILL-TV’s Alison Davis Wood received scholarships to attend producers’ workshops at the PBS Annual Meeting in San Francisco June 24-26. Wood was chosen for the Producers Academy Workshop last year and was one of five alumni from last year’s workshop to be selected for a scholarship to attend the annual meeting.

Hartin and Davis will take their works in progress to the workshops. Hartin will take his documentary, "The Song and the Slogan," celebrating the life and work of Carl Sandburg, while Davis will take her documentary about Gold Star Mothers, "A Pilgrimage of Remembrance."

engineering
Stephen A. Boppart, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering, has been chosen as one of the world’s 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review, the world’s oldest technology magazine.

Selected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s award-winning magazine of innovation, the TR100 consists of people under age 35 whose innovative work in technology and business has a profound impact on today’s world. Nominees are recognized for their contribution in transforming the nature of technology in industries such as biotechnology, computing, energy, manufacturing, medicine, nanotechnology, telecommunications and transportation.

Boppart has helped to dramatically improve the resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technique useful for medical diagnostics – such as the detection and removal of tumors at the cellular level. Similar in operation to ultrasound, OCT works by focusing a beam of near-infrared light (like that used in CD players) into tissue and measuring the intensity and position of the resulting reflections.

Boppart also converted the imaging hardware into a handheld probe that looks like a laser pointer. A version of this device is being used by surgeons at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston to see through a patient’s skin and through internal tissue before making an incision.

In collaboration with Illinois chemistry professor Ken Suslick, Boppart is developing microspheres that enhance the contrast for OCT. The tiny spheres – filled with air or some other light-scattering media – create a stronger signal than the surrounding tissue.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has awarded UI chemical engineering professor Bill Hammack the 2002 Edwin F. Church Medal for increasing the public’s understanding and appreciation of engineering through his public radio commentaries.

Hammack’s radio series, "Engineering and Life," is produced at WILL-AM and distributed to other public radio stations by Illinois Public Radio. It is broadcast on WILL-AM Tuesdays at 7:25 a.m. and 9:25 a.m. The commentaries also can be heard at www.engineerguy.com.

The Church Medal is given annually to an individual rendering eminent service in increasing the value, importance and attractiveness of engineering. The award features a bronze medal and a $2,500 honorarium.

Hammack’s series opens the world of engineering to the public by sharing the human stories behind seemingly simple objects such as pop-tops, coffee makers, screws and plastic bottles.

Judith Liebman, professor emeritus of mechanical and industrial engineering, received the Alumni Recognition Award from the University of Colorado at Boulder for service to the college. Liebman has been an active member of the CU-Boulder engineering advisory council since 1992. She also serves as vice chair of the CU Foundation board.

Burks Oakley II, professor of electrical and computer engineering, was selected by the American Society for Engineering Education to be a Fellow. Oakley was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the society. This year's induction of ASEE Fellows took place at the annual awards banquet June 19 in Montreal. The banquet is the culmination of the society's annual conference and exposition.

Michael Selig, a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Illinois, recently received the Wind Energy Academic Award from the American Wind Energy Association.

The award, given June 4 during the association’s annual conference in Portland, Ore., was given "in recognition of exceptional contributions to the advancement of wind energy technology," according to the association.

The focus of Selig’s research on wind energy has been on the development of methods and software for aerodynamic design and analysis of wind-turbine rotors and airfoils.

student affairs
Four Student Affairs staff members were honored with the 2002 Student Affairs Outstanding Staff Award at a reception on April 23. Kristin Duitsman, assistant director of member services, Campus Recreation; Julie Misa, associate director of International Student Affairs; John Powell, clinical counselor at the Counseling Center; and Sandra Yarnell, administrative aide, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, were honored for significant contributions to the lives of students and the campus community.

Back to Index