University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: April 27, 2006

By ARTHUR PAGE
Assistant Vice President

Academic excellence achieved by faculty, staff and students in the classroom and research laboratory, on the stage and in the studio, and in the community was the focus of the second annual Celebration of Academic Excellence held Thursday afternoon in the Mainstage theatre in the Center for the Arts.

Claude E. Welch, who as a former chair of the Faculty Senate carried the university mace in the procession that opened and closed the celebration, was recognized for being chosen the recipient of the first TIAA-CREF Lifetime Achievement Award.
PHOTO: NANCY J. PARISI

While academic excellence is UB's "guiding principle and the core of our university mission," President John B. Simpson told the audience that gathered to celebrate it that describing what it looks like and measuring it can be challenging.

"In the rich and complex world of the academy, where new fields of inquiry and new partnerships across disciplinary lines are emerging almost daily," Simpson noted, "there are few iron-clad standards or guidelines for measuring scholarly distinction and educational excellence."

He added: "Here at UB—as the extraordinary faculty, staff and students we honor today illustrate so plainly—academic excellence takes countless forms."

Despite those wide-ranging forms, Simpson said, there is a common thread connecting them all.

"What each of these examples suggests is that the most meaningful and consistent measure of academic excellence we have is by considering its impact—the lives and communities it changes for the better." The accomplishments and actions of those honored during the program, he added, "have made a meaningful difference. We are inspired by their academic achievements to pursue even greater heights of excellence as an institution."

Joining Simpson in applauding those honored was Satish K. Tripathi, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Addressing the dozens of undergraduates whose research and creative endeavors were highlighted in a poster presentation in the CFA atrium that preceded the program, Tripathi saluted their "creative intellect and your true potential for boundless success." In congratulating the students, he also noted that their accomplishments are "in no small part made possible by the caring mentorship of our faculty."

The program included student musical performances, including two songs from the recent production of Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along," and "sound poetry" by Sarah K. Campbell, doctoral student in the Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

Leading the list of faculty honored during the program was Philip G. Miles, professor emeritus of biological sciences, who was recognized for 50 years service as a faculty member. Miles, who played a major role in developing UB's biological sciences curriculum, has become known by generations of undergraduate and graduate students as a consummate teacher-scholar who consistently brings the latest groundbreaking research developments in his field—experimental mycology—into the classroom.

Claude E. Welch, who as a former chair of the Faculty Senate carried the university mace in the procession that opened and closed the celebration, was recognized for being chosen the recipient of the first TIAA-CREF Lifetime Achievement Award for lifetime achievement in scholarship/research, teaching and community service, to be presented at the SUNY Research Foundation's SUNY Research and Scholarship Awards Dinner in Albany on Wednesday. Welch is SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Political Science, CAS.

Recognized for achieving SUNY's highest faculty rank were D. Bruce Johnstone, University Professor of Higher and Comparative Education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, Graduate School of Education (GSE), and John F. Quinan, professor in the Department of Art History, CAS, both of whom have been named SUNY Distinguished Service Professors.

Lois M. Weis, a faculty member since 1978 in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE, was recognized as a UB Distinguished Professor.

Also recognized were faculty and staff who received SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. They included:

• Chancellor's Award in Teaching: Christopher Cohan, associate professor of pathology and anatomical sciences, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Charles Fourtner, professor of biological science, CAS; and Jeri Jaeger, associate professor of linguistics, CAS.

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Librarianship: H. Austin Booth, director of collections and research services, Arts and Sciences Libraries.

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service: Diane M. Dittmar, assistant dean for undergraduate programs, School of Management; David L. Gilles-Thomas, associate director and clinical director, Counseling Services; and Stefanos C. Papazaharias, staff associate for undergraduate education, CAS.

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities: Joseph Gardella, professor of chemistry and associate dean, CAS; Claes Lundgren, professor of physiology and biophysics in the medical school; and John Schlegel, professor, Law School

• SUNY Chancellor's Award for Internationalization: D. Joseph Mook, assistant dean for international education and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Maria S. Horne, associate professor, Department of Theatre and Dance, CAS.

Recognized as recipients of the Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award were Nancy M. Bailey, learning and instruction; Niharika Banerjea, sociology; Maria Bettaglio, romance languages and literatures; Kathryn A. Bottonari, psychology; Sherry M. Farrow, psychology; Lindsey M. Hair, comparative literature; Jill N. Kearns-Bodkin, psychology; Daniel E. Kehoe, chemical and biological engineering; James L. Maynard, English; Craig Miller, history; Susanna I. Rodriguez, romance languages and literatures; Elisa Ruhl, philosophy; Andrew D. Spear, philosophy; Jonathan Trinidad, sociology; and James J. Zambito, geology.

Several undergraduate students who participated in the poster presentation that preceded the program were presented UB Undergraduate Awards for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. The students and their projects are James Brucz, School of Architecture and Planning, "Composite Elatomeric Structures"; Stefan Vujcic, Department of Chemistry, CAS, "Micropatterned Nanoscopically Tailored Sensors for Ischemia Monitoring"; David Keller and Charles Ekiert, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, with a minor in architecture, "Seismic Design of Multi-story Buildings"; Amy Williams, School of Informatics, "We Practice What We Preach"; and Jeremy Campbell, School of Management, "An Empirical Investigation of the Pareto Principle in the Supermarket Industry."

Also, Catherine Dodds, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, "Obesity Due to Early Life Diet Modification: Gene Expression Analysis"; Lisa Rubin with Matt Robson, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, "The Effects of Ibuprofen on the Duration of Aspirin-Induced Inhibition of Platelet Aggregation"; Mary Clausen, Sean Smith and Rachelle DeCamp, School of Public Health and Health Professions, "Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction in Hypercholesterolemic Men After 12 weeks of Protein Supplementation and Resistance Training"; Luis Martinez, Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, "Impaired Detection of Social Olfactory Cues in Avpr1a Knockout Mice"; and Jeet Patel, biological sciences major, University Honors Program, "Application of a Colony Assay to study the Ontogeny of the B-Cell Lineage in the Mouse Fetus."

Also recognized were UB students designated "Scholars of Excellence" because they have been selected to represent UB in nationally competitive fellowship and scholarship programs. They included Mark J. Cianchetti (computer and electrical engineering), Michelle A. Kline (political science and anthropology) and Robert Spengler (anthropology and history), recipients of National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships; Peter C. Rizzo (English), recipient of a Morris K. Udall Scholarship; Rachael D. Brust (biochemistry and biophysics), Mark D. Huntington (mechanical engineering), Mary Elise Rumpf (physics and geology) and Christopher L. Wirth (chemical engineering), recipients of Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships; Allana Krolikowski (biomedical sciences and Spanish), recipient of a Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship; Danelle Schrader (mechanical and aerospace engineering), recipient of a Department of Homeland Security Graduate Fellowship; and Shifa I. Ali (special studies), George D. Dalbo (history and German), Joshua I. Gentzke (special studies) and Carla M. Sanderson (Spanish, social sciences interdisciplinary and general management), recipients of Fulbright Program Scholarships.

Seven students were recognized as recipients of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Award. They are Luis Martinez, psychology; Jon Anthony Middleton, mathematics; Marie Anne Sanon, nursing; Jeff Thomas, psychology; Lindsey Vedder, psychology and biology; Mathew Woodfork, psychology; and Richard Yau, biomedical sciences.