Achievements

Michael Silvers, a professor of musicology, received a fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies for his project “Voices of Drought: Forró Soundscapes in Northeastern Brazil.” Silvers will study the interplay between music, the landscape and the experience of nature in northeastern Brazil. He will look at how northeastern Brazilians have learned about the regional landscape and soundscape through music, and how environmental conditions such as drought have shaped music-making. The program allows researchers in the humanities and social sciences to devote time to research and to the writing of a major scholarly work.

The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International announced that Jack Collins, who retired as the director of University Housing at the U. of I., and Gary North, of Ohio University, received the 2015 ACUHO-I Award. The award constitutes the highest recognition by the association of an individual who, during the course of his or her career, has made exemplary, extraordinary and outstanding contributions to the organization and to the field of campus housing and food service, or higher education. According to the association’s website, the organization and its members “believe in developing exceptional residential experiences at colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions around the world.” 

Dr. Sarah Allison, the assistant director of the Division of Animal Resources and a professor of veterinary clinical medicine, has been selected as a 2015-16 Future Leader by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This year’s class was announced July 11 at the association’s convention in Boston. According to the group’s website, the program “takes a holistic approach to leadership development with the goal of developing the strengths and talents of veterinarians, promoting their leadership skills for the benefit of the veterinary workplace, society as a whole and especially our profession through leadership in organized veterinary medicine.” Those selected will participate in four face-to-face meetings over the coming year that are designed to help them build their leadership skills, follow their short- and long-term goals, as well as strengthen team-building and project-management skills.

The American Geophysical Union announced its 2015 class of fellows and will recognize them at its annual fall meeting in San Francisco. Three Urbana professors are among the 60 new fellows: James Best, a professor of geography and geographic information science and of geology; and  Tami C. Bond and Praveen Kumar, professors of civil and environmental engineering. Being elected a fellow is a tribute to members who have made exceptional contributions to earth and space sciences as valued by their peers and vetted by section and focus group committees. This honor is bestowed on only 0.1 percent of the membership in any given year.