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Published: April 26, 2007

Thomas Szyperski, professor in the Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, was named Inventor of the Year by the Niagara Frontier Intellectual Property Law Association at the association's annual Inventor of the Year Awards for patents issued in 2006. Szyperski was recognized for his patent entitled "Method of Using Reduced Dimensionality Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Rapid Chemical Shift Assignment and Secondary Structure Determination of Proteins." The patent also won first place in the physical sciences category. David G. Hangauer Jr., associate professor of chemistry, won first place in the health sciences category with his patent "Method for Designing Protein Kinase Inhibitors," with Thomas Marsilje and Karen Milkiewicz. Troy Wood, associate professor of chemistry, and Douglas R. Smith, a chemistry student, won third place in the physical sciences category for "Process of Vacuum Evaporation of an Electrically Conductive Material for Nanoelectrospray Emitter Coatings." Frederick Sachs, professor, and Thomas Suchyna, research assistant professor, both in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Janice Johnson won third place in the health sciences category for "Mechanically Activated Channel Blocker."

Nathan R. Matthews, director of music theatre, music director and assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, College of Arts and Sciences, is one of four musicians whose work will premiere at a concert in honor of Pulitzer-Prize winning composer David Del Tredici's 70th birthday to be presented by the Riverside Opera Ensemble on May 15 at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. Excerpts of "The Count of Monte Cristo," Matthews' opera-in-progress, will be performed by Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano, and Tod Fitzpatrick, baritone, with a libretto by Metropolitan Opera stage director Stephen Pickover. Matthews, producing artistic director for the Riverside Opera Ensemble, has collaborated as a music director, conductor, pianist and coach on productions from Broadway to California and abroad.

Senior Daniel Bell, the starting goalkeeper on the UB men's soccer team, received the 2007 Clifford C. Furnas Award, the top honor awarded at the Division of Athletics' annual Academic Awards Banquet held on April 16. The Furnas Award recognizes outstanding undergraduate performance in scholarship and athletic prowess. The recipient must have a minimum 3.5 GPA, be committed to graduate study, have strong personal character and outstanding athletic accomplishments.

UB's lightweight eight crew has cracked the top 10 in the US Rowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division I Lightweight Eight Coaches Poll. The Bulls have been ranked ninth nationally after finishing fifth at the Knecht Cup this past weekend.

The men's and women's swimming and diving teams have been named to the College Swim Coaches Association of America's Academic All-American Team for the fall 2006 semester. The UB women compiled a 3.216 combined grade-point average for the semester, ranking the squad in the excellent category. The men's team compiled a 2.86 combined GPA, earning a spot in the commendable category. Schools posting a 3.25 GPA or higher receive a superior rating.