Five Urbana-Champaign campus professors named University Scholars

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Five University of Illinois professors at the Urbana-Champaign campus have been named University Scholars in recognition of their excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. They will be honored at a Sept. 13 ceremony at the iHotel and Conference Center, 1900 S. First St., Champaign.

Begun in 1985, the scholars program recognizes faculty excellence on the three University of Illinois campuses and provides $15,000 to each scholar for each of three years to enhance his or her academic career. The money may be used for travel, equipment, research assistants, books or other purposes.

“Exceptional faculty are at the very core of the University of Illinois’ standing as a global leader in education and innovation,” said Barbara Wilson, the executive vice president and vice president for academic affairs for the U. of I. System.  “The University Scholars program honors the best of the best, and showcases the leading-edge scholarship and teaching that help transform students’ lives and drive progress for our state and nation.”

The Urbana campus recipients:

Alison M. Bell, a professor of animal biology, is an internationally recognized behavioral ecologist working on the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of behavioral variation in animals.  She uses the three-spined stickleback fish for her research, combining field observations with laboratory experiments to understand why individuals behave differently from each other.

Luisa-Elena Delgado, a professor of Spanish and Portuguese, is an internationally recognized specialist in modern and contemporary Spanish cultures, with an emphasis on the relationship between literature, aesthetics and ideology. Her work on Spanish nationalism and cultural politics has had a major impact on current public debates on the role of consensus and dissent in the democratic public sphere, particularly in diverse, multi-lingual societies.

Brian L. DeMarco, a professor of physics, is an experimental physicist who works on the intersection of atomic and condensed matter physics, using ultracold atom gases trapped in optical lattices to simulate models of strongly correlated electronic solids – quantum simulation.  His 1999 experiment that resulted in a degenerate Fermi gas opened the door to new avenues in atomic physics.

Lynford L. Goddard, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, uses light for sensing, measurement, communications and data processing. His research spans fabrication, testing and modeling of optical devices, as well as developing novel techniques and instrumentation. His work has applications for manufacturing, renewable energy, world food supply, medical imaging and optical signal processing.

Kelly S. Swanson, a professor of animal sciences, studies the effects of nutritional intervention on health outcomes. His research identifies mechanisms by which nutrients impact gene expression and host physiology, with a primary emphasis on gastrointestinal health and obesity.  His nutrition-research projects include study of human subjects, companion animals and rodent models.