Loading
Click for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Forecast
HOME ISSUE

CALENDAR

BETWEEN ISSUES ARCHIVE DEADLINES CONTACT US
 
 
Print This Issue
Front Page
Contents
Crimes
Directory
All About Teaching
Subscribe to E-Alamanc!
Staffbox
Guidelines
 

 

Honors & Other Things

Top Young Innovator: Dr. Yang

S. Yang

Dr. Shu Yang, the Skirkanich Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been named to the 2004 list of the world's 100 Top Young Innovators. The list is developed by Technology Review, a publication of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The list is chosen by the editors of Technology Review and a panel of judges. The Young Innovators are people younger than 35 whose work in technology has a profound impact on today's world.

Dr. Yang is considered an emerging leader in the field of nanoscale polymer science. Her works studies how to program or "tune" synthetic polymers to function with unique electrical, optical and bio-sensing abilities. She believes this technology could be used to underlie future generations of computers and communication networks. "Shu Yang was our first new hire of the 21st century and, in that short time, she has become a tremendous asset to the department," said Dr. Peter K. Davies, professor and chair of the department of materials science and engineering in SEAS. "Shu is certainly deserving of the TR100. She is an innovator who tempers her outstanding scientific creativity with matchless capability and energy."

This is the fourth time these awards have been given by Technology Review.

 

F.W. Clarke Award: Dr. Grottoli

A. Grottoli

Dr. Andrea Grottoli, assistant professor of earth and environmental science, has been awarded the F. W. Clarke Award from the Geochemical Society for her research on coral skeletal carbon isotopes. The prize recognizes outstanding contributions to geochemistry or cosmochemistry by an early career scientist. Dr. Grottoli received the award in June at the society's annual meeting in Copenhagen.  In addition, she has been awarded a Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship to conduct research on the effect of land-use change on the carbon cycle of coastal marine environments in Puerto Rico.

 

Neuroscience Secretary: Dr. Levitan

Dr. Irwin B. Levitan, chairman of the department of neuroscience and the David J. Mahoney Professor of Neurological Sciences at the School of Medicine, has been elected Secretary for the Society for Neuroscience. His two-year term will begin in October of this year. "Dr. Levitan will be taking on many responsibilities as Secretary of the Society," said Dr. Anne B. Young, current President of the Society. "We look forward to his contributions."

The Society for Neuroscience was formed in 1970 and has more than 35,000 members and is the world's largest organization of scientists devoted to the study of the brain.

 

Schuck Award: Dr. Hirschmann

N. Hirschmann

Dr. Nancy Hirschmann, associate professor of political science, has received the 2004 Victoria Schuck Award for Best Book on Women and Politics from the American Political Science Association. The book, The Subject of Liberty: Toward a Feminist Theory of Freedom, examines the traditional Western understanding of freedom in the context of contemporary issues such as domestic violence, welfare reform, and Islamic veiling.

 

La Casa Latina Award: Dr. Rodin

President Emerita Judith Rodin, has been awarded the first Amigos de La Casa Award for the supportive role she played in La Casa Latina's formation. In a statement read by Anamaria Cobo, director of La Casa Latina, at the ceremony, the award was given, "On behalf of La Casa Latina staff and Advisory Board. We applaud Dr. Judith Rodin for her commitment to the Latino/a community and vision for pursuing the leadership to create a center of excellence on Penn's campus. On September 21, 2004 the La Casa Latina Family is honored to make Dr. Judith Rodin the first recipient of Amigos De La Casa."

That evening, Dr. Rodin announced a gift of $5,000 to La Casa Latina which will be used to create a scholarship fund in Dr. Rodin's name.

 

Chemistry Honors: Dr. Klein, Dr. Therien

M. Klein

Dr. Michael Klein, the Hepburn Professor of Physical Science, has received the 2004 Berni J. Alder CECAM Prize for exceptional contributions to the field of computational materials. Dr. Klein's work focuses on quantum and classical computer simulation of condensed matter and biophysical systems at the atomic level. The Alder Prize, is awarded by the European Centre for Atomic and Molecular Computations, is the most prestigious European honor for computer simulation in statistical physics and physical chemistry. In awarding the prize, the organization said Dr. Klein "belongs to the small group of brilliant scientists who transformed molecular dynamics from a tool in theoretical physics to the workhorse of what is now commonly referred to as ‘computational materials science.'  No single person has contributed on a broader front to the application of molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations to practical problems in many different areas of science."

M. Therein

The American Chemical Society's Philadelphia Section has selected Dr. Michael Therein, the Alan MacDiarmid Endowed Professor of Chemistry, to receive its 2004 award honoring a chemist who has increased public appreciation of the field through his or her research. Dr. Therien has been a member of the chemistry department since 1990 and his research and teaching focus on inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry.

 

ASA Fellow: Dr. Diebold

F. Diebold

Dr. Francis X. Diebold, professor of economics, finance and statistics, has been named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association. The citation reads: "For influential contributions to econometrics, particularly in forecasting and forecast evaluation with applications to macroeconomics and finance, and for service to the profession."

The designation of Fellow by the Association signifies an individual's outstanding service to and leadership in the field of statistical science. Each year the Committee on Fellows elects one-third of one percent of its total membership as Fellows. This year 56 members were accorded the honor.

 

Top 100 Agile IT: ISC

Information Systems & Computing has been named one of the top 100 by CIO Magazine. The annual award program recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology. "I am honored that the magazine is recognizing ISC's strong relationship with our clients and the energy, commitment, and hard work from every member of the ISC team that has made this award possible," said ISC Vice President Robin Beck. "Every ISC employee should be proud of this recognition, and I am very, very proud of ISC." This year's theme of the award was "Agile 100," which recognizes those IT organizations that can respond quickly to changing business environments. Winners demonstrate measurable results in how they use IT to enable and support agility in their organizations.

 

Stroke Center National Certification

The Penn Stroke Center of HUP has received national certification as a Primary Stroke Center from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. HUP is the first hospital in Philadelphia and among the first academic hospitals in the nation to achieve this status.

"This prestigious certification formally recognizes the ability of our center to provide fast, highly skilled treatment that improves stroke patients' chances of recovery. It is further testament of the high quality and standard of care that the Health System provides to the people of Philadelphia and surrounding areas," said Ralph W. Muller, CEO of UPHS.

 

New Bolton Center's Commitment to Excellence

Aceto, Gutmann, Kelly
photo by Candice DiCarlo
Left to right: Dr. Helen Aceto, a lecturer in epidemiology and public health, who oversaw the clean up efforts, President Amy Gutmann, and Dean Alan Kelly.

The School of Veterinary Medicine welcomed President Amy Gutmann to the New Bolton Center campus and George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals on August 23.  Dr. Gutmann thanked the staff and faculty for their extraordinary efforts to re-open the Widener Hospital just three months after its closure on May 10. due to an outbreak of multi-drug resistant Salmonella.  During a luncheon organized by Dean Alan Kelly, Dr. Gutmann presented the Veterinary School staff and faculty with the University's Commitment to Excellence Award—part of a new recognition program at Penn.

The Commitment to Excellence program was designed to work in tandem with the Models of Excellence program that was launched in 1999 (Almanac September 21, 2004).  The Models program recognizes extraordinary staff member achievements, over and above job expectations, that support and further the University's mission—using innovation, service commitment, and other specific criteria.  The Commitment to Excellence program recognizes extra commitment and effort in response to highly unusual circumstances identified by campus leaders, such as the Salmonella threat the Veterinary School staff and faculty overcame.

When the outbreak was discovered, staff and faculty of the Veterinary School (main campus and New Bolton Center) mobilized for three months of strenuous work to eradicate the organism from the premises. They donned masks, gloves and Tyvek® suits, and wielded brooms, brushes and power hoses. The entire hospital and the patient barns had to be scrubbed, disinfected, fogged, sandblasted and repainted, and the barn floors had to be dug out and reconstructed in concrete.

Dean Kelly recognized the extraordinary efforts that went into eliminating the Salmonella threat so rapidly, and so did the University.  Therefore, based on Dr. Kelly's nomination, these staff and faculty were honored with the Commitment to Excellence Award.

More detailed information on the Commitment to Excellence program will be available on the Human Resources website (www.hr.upenn.edu) within the next few weeks.

 

 

 


  Almanac, Vol. 51, No. 5, September 28, 2004

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tuesday,
September 28, 2004
Volume 51 Number 5
www.upenn.edu/almanac

 

Back to Contents page
HOME ISSUE CALENDAR BETWEEN ISSUES ARCHIVE DEADLINES CONTACT US