IN THIS ISSUE: ENGINEERING | LAS | ISWS
engineering
The College of Engineering honored faculty members and students at a ceremony and luncheon April 27 at the Illini Union.*
Dimitrios C. Kyritsis, professor of mechanical science and engineering, received the Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence.
Philippe H. Geubelle, professor of aerospace engineering, received the Stanley H. Pierce Faculty Award.
Xerox Awards for Faculty Research were awarded to Tami Bond, professor of civil and environmental engineering; Ioannis Chasiotis, professor of aerospace engineering; Moonsub Shim, professor of materials science and engineering; Minh Do, professor of electrical and computer engineering; John Lambros, professor of aerospace engineering; Daniel Liberzon, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Kevin Pitts, professor of physics, and Andreas Polycarpou, professor of mechanical science and engineering.
Michael L. Philpott, professor of mechanical science and engineering, received the BP Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Instruction.
The Rose Award for Teaching Excellence was awarded to Craig Zilles, professor of computer science.
Gregory S. Elliott, professor of aerospace engineering, received the Collins Award for Innovative Teaching.
Bruce Conway, professor of aerospace engineering, received the college’s Teaching Excellence Award.
John A. Rogers, professor of materials science and engineering, received the Tau Beta Pi Daniel C. Drucker Eminent Faculty Award.
Other recent honors:
Laura H. Greene, professor of physics, was named the new editor-in-chief of the review journal Reports on Progress in Physics, which is published by the British Institute of Physics. Greene, whose research is focused on highly correlated electron systems and novel materials, will lead an international editorial board.
The department of civil and environmental engineering announced the following faculty honors:
Imad Al-Qadi, received the American Society of Civil Engineers 2007 James Laurie Prize, which is presented to a member who has contributed to the advancement of transportation engineering, either in research, planning, design or construction.
Larry Fahnestock received the society’s Outstanding Instructor Award. This award recognizes an outstanding instructor and is selected by the student chapter of the society.
Jerry Hajjar was elevated to the rank of fellow in the American Society for Civil Engineers. Fellows occupy the society’s second-highest membership grade, exceeded only by honorary members.
Neil Hawkins will receive the Dennis L. Tewksbury Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute. Hawkins is being honored for leadership in the education of structural engineers; for the technical advancement of engineering through collaborative work with other organizations; for establishment of a long-term vision for the profession; and for outstanding support of, and service to, the institute as an organization.
liberal arts and sciences
John F. Hartwig, the Kenneth L. Rinehart Endowed Chair of Chemistry, has received the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize in the Physical Sciences – Chemistry 2007. He received the award May 14 during a one-day symposium honoring the distinguished laureates and as part of the Tel Aviv University Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting.
Neil L. Kelleher, professor of bioengineering in the department of chemistry, will receive the 2007 Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry from the ACS Division of Biological Chemistry. The award, which comes with a gold medal and a cash prize, will be presented at an award symposium during the 234th ACS National meeting Aug. 19-23 in Boston.
John Rogers, Founder Professor with appointments in material science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering and the Beckman Institute, will receive the 2007 Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award from the American Chemical Society. The award is conferred biennially upon an American chemist under 40 years of age in recognition of “accomplishments in pure or industrial chemistry, as characterized by the initiative, creativeness, leadership, and perseverance of the individual and indicated by published or unpublished evidence.” The award, which consists of a gold medal and $5,000, will be presented at an upcoming symposium.
Ben McCall, professor of chemistry, is one of 10 recipients of a 2007 Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corp. He will receive a $100,000 grant for his proposal titled: “New Approaches to Research and Teaching in Astrochemistry: Carbocation Spectroscopy and a Novel Laboratory Course.” McCall has established a nationally recognized program in astrochemistry.
state water survey
On May 16, Allen Wehrmann, director of the Center for Groundwater Science, and Mike Demissie, director of the Center for Watershed Science, were inducted as diplomates of the American Academy of Water Resource Engineers. The ceremony was during the EWRI 2007 World Environmental and Water Congress in Tampa, Fla. The academy was started primarily to offer a voluntary, post-license credential that will provide professionals and practitioners an opportunity to gain further recognition in the field of water resources engineering. This certification is the highest level of achievement in the field.
