IN THIS ISSUE: ACES | ENGINEERING | LAS | LIBRARY
agricultural, consumer and environmental sciences
Philip Buriak, professor emeritus of agricultural and biological engineering, was named a fellow by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers for his outstanding contributions to the education of agricultural and biological engineering students. Buriak was recognized for his innovative leadership in curriculum development, technical editing and standards development.
Michael Hutjens has been named a fellow by the American Dairy Science Association. The award, announced in July, recognizes Hutjens for “distinguished service to the dairy industry over 20 years or more.”
The association noted Hutjens’ “exceptional contributions” to the dairy industry during a career that began in 1971. A professor of animal sciences and dairy specialist for UI Extension, he is a frequent contributor to a number of dairy publications and presents programs at international dairy conferences.
engineering
Mark Shannon, director of the Center of Advanced Materials for the Purification of Water with Systems, headquartered at Illinois, testified before a U.S. House Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing in late July. Shannon, the James W. Bayne Professor of Mechanical Engineering, spoke in support of a draft bill from House Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) that would focus on ramping up water development, demonstration projects, education and outreach, and technology transfer activities.
liberal arts and sciences
Christopher Fennell, a professor of law and of landscape architecture, was awarded the John L. Cotter Award in Historical Archaeology by the Society for Historical Archaeology.
Fennell was recognized for his contributions to studies in African diaspora archaeology, including his continued research at New Philadelphia, a biracial town founded by a freed African American on the Illinois frontier. Fennell served as co-principal archaeologist from 2004-2007 for the New Philadelphia Archaeological Project and successfully obtained another three years’ (2008-2010) funding from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates.
Ted Brown, professor emeritus of chemistry, received the 2008 Harry and Carol Mosher Award from the Santa Clara Valley Section of the American Chemical Society. The award was established in 1980 to recognize and encourage outstanding work in chemistry, to advance chemistry as a profession and to recognize service to the society.
Scott Silverman, a professor of chemistry, will receive the 2009 Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry given by the American Chemical Society’s Division of Biological Chemistry. Silverman will be presented the award (consisting of a bronze medal and honorarium) during an awards symposium in his honor to be held during the society’s 238th national meeting Aug. 17-21 in Washington, D.C.
The award was created in 1934 and is it is given to candidates under 38 years of age who have “accomplished outstanding research in biological chemistry of unusual merit and independence of thought and originality.”
Three chemistry faculty members have been awarded lectureships from the Royal Society of Chemistry:
Scott Denmark, the Fuson Professor of Chemistry, will deliver the Robert Robinson Lectureship. Founded in 1962 with an endowment from the Sir Robert Robinson Foundation Inc., the lecture reviews progress in any branch of organic chemistry and is given biennially on the occasion of the society’s Annual Congress.
John Hartwig, the Kenneth L. Rinehart Endowed Chair, will deliver the society’s Joseph Chatt Lectureship, a biennial lecture founded in 1995 that emphasizes interdisciplinary work in the areas which fall between inorganic chemistry and biochemistry and between organic and catalytic chemistry.
John Katzenellenbogen, the Swanlund Endowed Chair and professor of chemistry, received the society’s Centenary Lectureship. The Centenary Fund celebrates the Centenary of the Chemical Society and promotes interchange of chemists between Britain and other countries and finances the annual appointment of three centenary lecturers, who visit a number of centers in the British Isles. Winners receive a silver medal and 500.
Adrian Burgos, a professor of history and assistant director of graduate studies, was among the panelists who spoke at the Double Duty Classic, an event held July 7 to celebrate the history and tradition of Negro Leagues and African Americans in baseball. The event, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Negro League East-West All-Star Game, was named for Negro Leagues player Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, who died in 2005. The panelists included Burgos, other Negro League historians and Sharon Robinson, the daughter of baseball player Jackie Robinson. The panelists spoke at a special forum prior to the game, which was hosted by the Chicago White Sox at the U.S. Cellular Conference and Learning Center at U.S. Cellular Field.
university library
Diane Schmidt, biology librarian, was awarded the Winifred Sewell Prize for Innovation by the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division of the Special Libraries Association. Schmidt received the award June 17 at the division’s annual conference in Seattle. The award honored Schmidt for developing the International Field Guides Web site. The site is a comprehensive database of field guides for identifying plants, animals and other objects in North America and around the world.
The prize is awarded to a member who has shown leadership and innovation in the development and/or use of advanced technologies in the organization or dissemination of biomedical and life sciences information.
