Six students win Chancellor's Awards for Excellence
Six UB students have been named winners of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence for 2002.

The award recognizes 187 of SUNY's most outstanding students from 56 SUNY campuses, representing six foreign countries and eight states. The students have a 3.82 grade-point average and have demonstrated significant contributions to the greater campus community.

"These students are among State University's best and brightest," said Chancellor Robert L. King. "Their commitment not only to academic excellence, but also to serving the wider community indicates they are likely to emerge as New York's future leaders."

UB's award winners, all of whom will graduate next month, are David P. Bartels, Melissa A. Burgio, Naniette H. Coleman, Amy E. Fuller, Preethi Govindaraj and Jenna K. Keenan

Mohawk to present convocation keynote
Seneca historian John Mohawk, professor and director of the Center for the Americas, will present the keynote address at the 34th annual convocation of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and School of Medicine on May 10.

The invitation was extended by Paul B. Roth, dean of the UNM School of Medicine, after Mohawk addressed the relationship between degenerative disease and highly processed foods on a National Public Radio program.

Mohawk teaches law and history at UB, where he directs the program in indigenous studies. He is a proponent of the international slow foods movement, which supports the reintroduction of slow-digesting, often ancient foods as a means of fighting heart and circulatory disease, tooth decay, obesity and especially diabetes, which is rampant in many native communities (To see related story, click here).

The UNM School of Medicine operates a number of health-care projects that address New Mexico's underserved native population.

Correction
Last week's Reporter incorrectly stated that Charles Stinger, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, would return to his post as senior associate dean of the college with the arrival in August of Uday Sukhatme as dean of the college.

Stinger will return to his previous position as professor in the Department of History.

The Reporter regrets the error.

Office changes name
To more aptly reflect its comprehensive mission, the Office of the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations has changed its name to the Office of the Vice President for University Advancement.

The office, headed by Vice President Jennifer A. McDonough, includes University Communications, the Office of University Development and the Office of Alumni Relations.

Brush Up Buffalo seeks volunteers
Volunteer teams are being sought to participate in the seventh annual Brush Up Buffalo revitalization event, to be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15.

A not-for-profit organization dedicated to citywide revitalization, Brush Up Buffalo has targeted 20 to 25 homes for painting in the Fruitbelt neighborhood of the city. Last year, a team from Cora P. Maloney College participated in the event.

The Center for Urban Studies at UB is a co-sponsor of the event, and is assisting Brush Up Buffalo in planning and selecting the houses to be painted.

Call 629-8736 for more information.

CIRRIE to sponsor conference in D.C.
The Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE) in the School of Health Related Professions will sponsor an international conference on "Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services to Persons Born in Other Countries" May 6-8 in Washington, D.C.

The conference will examine the impact of culture on attitudes toward disability and how this can affect communication between service providers and consumers.

One of every 10 U.S. residents was born in another country, and many other nations also have high immigration rates, notes John Stone, director of CIRRIE. Increasingly, rehabilitation service providers are called upon to serve persons whose culture may differ from their own, Stone says.

Conference participants will examine issues related to providing services to consumers born in other countries and identify best practices, he says.

Outstanding CAS seniors to be honored at reception
Twenty-eight students will be honored for being the outstanding graduating senior in departments within the College of Arts and Sciences in a ceremony and reception to be held at 2 p.m. May 9 in the Screening Room in the Center for the Arts, North Campus.

Also to be honored at the ceremony are four members of the CAS faculty who will receive Excellence in Teaching Awards. They are Catherine Norgren, associate professor of theatre and dance and head of design and production for the department, representing the arts; Jiyuan Yu, assistant professor of philosophy, representing the humanities; Jim D. Atwood, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry, representing the natural sciences and mathematics, and Jessie Poon, associate professor of geography, representing the social and behavioral sciences

Each student will receive a medal to be worn at the university's 156th general commencement ceremony on May 12.

One student will receive two medals and be honored for taking top honors within two departments. Joshua Lovejoy of Williamsville will be honored as the outstanding graduate for the departments of Classics and Political Science.

Other students being honored and their departments are:

• African American Studies: Santosha M. Hayes of Cheektowaga
• Anthropology: Laura M. Johnson of Fairport
• Art: Kevin Karn of Lancaster
• Art History: Joanna Gillespie of Buffalo
• Biological Sciences: David C. Manns of Depew
• Center for the Americas: Julia J. Caruso of Salamanca
• Chemistry: Brian N. Tse of New Hyde Park
• Communicative Disorders and Sciences: Felicia Stocco of Staten Island
• Economics: Colleen Murphy of Webster
• English: Jenna Lay of Pavilion
• Geography: Hearn Yuit Chua of Singapore
• Geology: Jonathan G. Zybala of Williamsville
• History: Andrea Vossler of Wellsville
• Linguistics: Jocelyn R. Bell of Kenmore
• Mathematics: Jennifer L. Egloff of Cheektowaga
• Media Study: Colin D. Hargraves of Brewster
• Modern Languages and Literatures: Michael D'Agostino of Brooklyn
• Music: Erik M. Anspach of North Tonawanda
• Philosophy: Thomas Betjeman of Yorktown Heights
• Physics: Thomas P. Downes of Delmar
• Psychology: Kim Jedlikowski of Buffalo
• Social Sciences Interdisciplinary: Melynda Schneider of Delevan
• Sociology: Karen Kuba of New Hyde Park
• Special Major Program: Jennifer E. Lake of Manlius
• Theatre and Dance: Allan Mangaser of Williamsville
• Women's Studies: Elizabeth E. Date of Williamsville

Firm graduates from incubator
Programmable Life, Inc., is graduating from the UB Technology Incubator and moving to a 4,000-square-foot facility on Grand Island that includes laboratory, office and pilot manufacturing space.

The company, founded by Robert Downie, develops and manufactures chemical compounds used to produce degradable plastics.

The company's flagship product, Ecostar™, is a chemical compound that when added to resin, can be used to produce degradable or recyclable items, such as plastic bags, coated papers and plastic cups or utensils. Ecostar™ is sold to resin manufacturers and is licensed to a Japanese company.

"Helping companies like Programmable Life 'graduate' from the incubator program and grow their business in Western New York is vitally important," said Robert J. Genco, vice provost and head of UB's Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach.

"The more of these success stories we have in the area means more jobs are created, bolstering the economic wealth of the region," added Genco, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Oral Biology, where he is chair, in the School of Dental Medicine.

Programmable Life entered the UB Technology Incubator in 1999 to build on research done by ECOssais LLC, an earlier venture started by Downie. Research advancements translated into a method of producing low-cost chemical additives that facilitate the degradation of polyethylene, the most widely used plastic.

Due to the cost of conventional degradable methods, degradable plastics account for less than 1 percent of production. Programmable Life is poised to grow the degradable market due largely to its low-cost production methods. Total revenues for Programmable Life last year were $2 million.

The UB Technology Incubator, part of the university's Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach, assists technology-intensive companies as they grow into thriving businesses. Located at 1576 Sweet Home Road in Amherst, the incubator has assisted more than 60 companies, boasting a 75 percent survival rate. It currently is home to 17 companies, many of which are in the life-sciences field.

Poetry prize winners are announced
Award-winning poetry in competitions sponsored by the University Libraries and the Department of English in the College of Arts and Sciences have earned five students cash prizes and honorable mentions.

Jessica Smith, a senior majoring in English and comparative literature, won the Academy of American Poets University and College Poetry Prize. Honorable mention went to Brendan Keane, a senior majoring in history and English. Smith won the Friends of the University Libraries Undergraduate Poetry Prize last year.

Shane Jones, a junior majoring in English, won the Friends of the University Libraries Undergraduate Poetry Prize. He won honorable mention last year for the Academy of American Poets prize.

Lauren Shufran, a junior double majoring in English and Media Study, is the winner of the Scribbler's Prize. The prize was established in 1939 by the Scribbler's Club, which organized in 1893 to encourage local women writers, as a counterpart to the Press Club, which was not open to women.

For the second consecutive year, Chong Yean Matthew Tan, a senior majoring in English, is the recipient of the Arthur Axlerod Memorial Award. The award was established in 1975 through the English department by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Axlerod, the parents of Arthur Axlerod, an undergraduate in the English department.

Tan also received honorable mention this year for the Friends of the University Libraries Undergraduate Poetry Prize.

Student leaders to be honored
The first annual Pillars of Leadership Honoree Reception recognizing those students who, through their leadership, service and excellence, have made an exceptional difference to the campus community will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Center for Tomorrow, North Campus.

The reception will be hosted by Dennis R. Black, vice president for student affairs, and the Leadership Development Center, directed by Frank Ciccia.

Twenty-nine students who have received accolades for their achievements will be honored for being "pillars of leadership" of the UB community. The students have won the following awards presented throughout the 2001-2002 academic year: the Arthur O. Eve Award, the Athletics Leadership Award, the Bronze Pin Award, the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, the Circle of Distinction Award, Greek Man and Woman of the Year Award, homecoming king and queen, J. Scott Fleming Award, Nancy Welch Award, Multicultural Programming Award, Student Association Outstanding Staff Member Award, Vice President's Senior Leadership Award and Women Leader of Distinction Award.

Diversity panel honors five
The University Committee for the Promotion of Respect for Diversity honored five undergraduates at a reception in Capen Hall Tuesday for their efforts to promote respect for diversity through multicultural programming in the residence halls.

Jonathan Terrance, a senior mechanical engineering major, took first-place honors for his "History of Red Jacket" program. The program featured a lecture/discussion with Richard W. Hill, Sr., about the life of the Native American man after whom the Red Jacket residence hall is named.

Emmanuel Fernandez, a sophomore computer engineering major, received the second-place award for his "Latin Dance" program. Fernandez provided residents with lessons in the intricacies of traditional Latin-American dance steps. A feast of Latin American cuisine prepared by Fernandez followed the dancing.

The third-place award went to sophomore Josh Solomon for his "Open Drum Circle" program. Soloman organized an "orchestra of expression" that included a variety of drums and percussion instruments and was led by a board-certified music therapist. The program brought together people of different cultures, religions, ages, genders and backgrounds.

Junior Ivan Loh received honorable mention for his "Martial Arts Demonstration" program. Both on-campus and off-campus martial arts experts taught residents the history of martial arts and the related principles of non-violence. Loh served a home-cooked Chinese meal to round out the event.

JoAnn Speight, a junior psychology major, received an honorable mention for organizing a trip to the Native American reservation in Cattaraugus County. The goal of the program was to dispel myths and stereotypes about the Native American way of life. This cultural exchange allowed residents to discover first-hand the similarities in the Native American culture that are common to all American families. Participants also discussed Native American history and some of the traditions that make the culture unique.