IN THIS ISSUE: BROADCASTING | CAMPUS REC | LAS | LIBRARY
broadcasting
WILL-AM (580) was named the Outstanding News Operation in the downstate radio division of the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association Journalism Excellence Contest. WILL-AM also picked up four other awards, including second place in the Best Newscast and Best Newswriter categories.
In other awards, news director Tom Rogers and reporters Jim Meadows and Jeff Bossert placed second in the Best Series/Documentary category for their “World War II: Central Illinois Stories” series. Rogers placed second in the Best Light Feature category for his story on the POW camp in Hoopeston during World War II.
“I’m humbled and honored that Associated Press judges regarded our work as among the best in the state,” Rogers said. “It’s a testament to Jim Meadows, Jeff Bossert and other AM 580 reporters who work tirelessly to tell the stories of East Central Illinois plainly, accurately and innovatively.”
The awards will be presented at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association convention in Springfield on April 19.
To listen to the winning stories, visit the WILL Web site at www.will.illinois.edu.
campus recreation
Tony Clements, director of campus recreation, was honored at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association annual conference in Austin, Texas, with the Region 3 Award of Merit for outstanding contributions to the region during the last 30 years.
The association has nearly 4,000 members divided into six regions with Region 3 comprising colleges and universities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada.
liberal arts and sciences
Adrian Burgos, professor of history, served as an adviser on an upcoming film about Roberto Clemente, one of the first Latino baseball stars to have a lasting impact on the game. The premiere will be broadcast on PBS’ “American Experience” at 8 p.m. April 21. Burgos, who wrote “Playing America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line,” became involved in the project in October after the director read his book. As an adviser, Burgos provided input on some of the themes of the film, screened rough and preliminary final cuts of the film and provided feedback.
Alejandro Lleras, professor of psychology and an affiliate of the Beckman Institute, received an Early Faculty CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. The $400,000 award will be distributed over five years.
The award supports the early career development of teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education in line with the mission of their institutions.
In his research, Lleras explores fundamental questions of perception, such as how we become aware of visual information and what factors affect what visual information we attend to and which we ignore. His work illustrates the interplay among awareness, attention and prior experiences, and how these systems constantly influence each other.
When evaluating Lleras for the award, the NSF reviewers cited his impressive list of publications in leading journals and the high quality and creativity of his research. His commitment to training others in the field also was noted. “The applicant’s department is able and willing to provide the support necessary to further develop the career of the applicant such that he will become one of the leading figures in experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience,” a reviewer wrote.
Julian Palmore, professor of mathematics, recently served as editor of a special edition of Defense & Security Analysis, an independent, interdisciplinary and international journal that focuses mainly on the field of defense theory and analysis. The edition edited by Palmore was devoted to the topic of nuclear deterrence.
library
Barbara J. Ford, director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, has been awarded the American Library Association International Relations Committee’s John Ames/Humphry/OCLC/ Forest Press Award.
OCLC/Forest Press donated the $1,000 award, which is given for significant contribution to international librarianship.
Ford received the award for her librarianship efforts, extensive publications and significant contributions to the American Library Association and International Federation of Library Associations. She has presented and published on international aspects of librarianship and, through her editorial positions, has encouraged the dissemination of information on librarianship to a global audience.
Ford will be recognized during the International Relations Round Table Chair’s Program on June 30, at the association’s annual conference in Anaheim, Calif.