William E. Pelham Jr., Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, will present the University at Buffalo's inaugural Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence lecture at 5 p.m. today (Monday, March 2, 2009) in Diefendorf Hall on the UB South (Main Street) Campus.

The University at Buffalo will hold its largest job fair of the season, "CareerFEST '09: The Jobs and Internships Fair for All Majors," from 3-6:30 p.m. today (Tuesday, March 3, 2009) in the Main Gym of Alumni Arena on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

Lester Gerhardt came to Western New York for a position with the then-flourishing Bell Aerospace Corporation. During his 10 years at Bell, Gerhardt earned both his UB degrees in electrical engineering, rose to director of avionics research and received the Bell Outstanding Management award in the process.

Vikki Pryor's arrival as SBLI USA president and CEO in 1999 resulted in an immediate turnaround for the mutual life insurance company based in New York City.

Sharad Tak received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from ITT Mumbai, and came to the University at Buffalo on a fellowship. He was among the first class to receive a master of science degree in computer science from UB.

Connie Vari, a native Buffalonian, began her career in 1976 as a staff nurse at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital. Her more than 30-year career of distinguished service with the Western New York health care-system Kaleida Health is highlighted by a personal dedication to expanding organizational efficiency and empowering others to succeed.

When Marjorie Winkler joined Genentech, Inc., in 1982 as a research scientist, she was one of about 400 employees working for a company that had gone public less than two years earlier. Today that company, considered to be the founder of the biotechnology industry, is still considered a strong leader in biopharmaceutical research, development and sales.

In 2006 at age 30, Nicole Lee became executive director of TransAfrica Forum and the first female to head the Washington DC-based international organization that promotes human rights and social justice for people of African descent. TransAfrica was the lead organization in the "Free South Africa Movement," which has been credited with helping to end apartheid in South Africa.

The AirSep Corporation in Amherst made a significant investment in alumni from UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and its chair and chief executive officer, Ravinder K. Bansal, has in turn made a significant investment in the school.

Patricia McCartney, former clinical professor in the UB School of Nursing, will be adding the Sarkin Award to numerous other honors that have recognized her exceptional teaching ability: the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching; the Award of Excellence in Nursing Education from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; and the UB School of Nursing Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

A retired dermatologist whose medical career spanned 40 years, Ralph Behling earned his bachelor's degree from UB in pharmacy, completed medical school in three years and spent his residency at E.J. Meyer Memorial Hospital, where he treated patients in the facility's varicose vein, syphilis and outpatient dermatology clinics and taught dermatology to UB seniors.

Kayla Geelan is a junior mathematics education major. She is a community assistant in South Lake Village, student manager for University Print Services, photography manager for the Student Association, and a teacher's aide in the Buffalo Public Schools.

Mary Greenberg, B.A. '08, is pursuing a master's degree in higher education administration. She works in the Office of Athletics Academic and Student Development Services (AASD) as the tutorial coordinator assistant and works with an additional 10-15 student-athletes as their learning strategist.

Junior Chris Llop is pursing a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a minor in Mandarin Chinese and mathematics. Llop is president of Engineers for a Sustainable World and is chair the organization's 2009 national convention, which will be held at UB.

Shanita Mitchell is a senior majoring in psychology and health and human services with a concentration in community mental health. She is a member of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, and is also a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Mary H. Berlow and her husband, Sheldon, are well-known throughout the Western New York community as leaders who routinely volunteer and financially support many worthwhile organizations. What people may not know about, however, is Berlow's important contribution to UB's Anderson Gallery Martha Jackson Oral History Project.

For more than a decade, John Bodkin has been a loyal and dedicated volunteer for the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

A 1979 graduate of the UB Law School and partner in Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel's real estate practice, Jean Powers has been a loyal and deeply committed volunteer to the Law School and the university for 30 years.

Jay Schwartzkopf is managing partner for MHS LLC, a private equity investment partnership focused on multi-family real estate and small business investments up to $10 million. A former member of the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors, Schwartzkopf has been a generous host of a number of "Dinner for 12 Strangers" events held for alumni and students from the School of Management.

Columnist and social critic Anna Quindlen will speak at the University at Buffalo at 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 4, 2009) in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus as part of the 2008-09 Distinguished Speakers Series.

UB Inventors Named on Patents in 2008

Ambassador Pierre Vimont, who holds a license in law, is a knight of the National Order of Merit and was appointed to his current position in August 2007.