Honors & Other Things
September 18, 2007, Volume 54, No. 4	Print Issue

Dean’s Medal: Dr. Arias

Dr. Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica and 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate, received the Wharton School Dean’s Medal at the Wharton Global Alumni Forum in San Jose, Costa Rica on June 7. The Dean’s Medal is the School’s highest tribute for extraordinary achievement or service by individuals throughout the world. Dr. Arias has traveled the world spreading a message of peace and applying the lessons garnered from the Central American Peace Process to topics of current global debate.

Graber Book Award: Drs. Cappella and Jamieson

Dr. Joseph N. Cappella and Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson have been honored with the Doris Graber book award for their work, Spiral of Cynicism: The Press and the Public Good. Dr. Cappella and Dr. Jamieson are professors in the Annenberg School for Communication. The award honors the best book published on political communication in the previous 10 years.

Honorary Degree: Dr. Cohen

Dr. D. Walter Cohen, Dean Emeritus of the School of Dental Medicine, has received an honorary degree from the Carol Davilla School of Medicine of the University of Bucharest in Romania for his contributions to higher education. A one-day scientific symposium was held in Dr. Cohen’s honor in Bucharest.

Dr. Cohen donated $50,000 to the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation’s Education Endowment Fund, which was established to help develop and retain periodontal educators, aiding in the replacement of seasoned academics.

ACR Fellow: Dr. Das

Dr. Indras Das, professor of radiation oncology, has been inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Radiology (ACR). Dr. Das was inducted at the formal convocation ceremony during the 84th annual ACR Meeting and Chapter Leadership conference in Washington, D.C.

Board of Scientific Counselors: Dr. Elo

Dr. Irma T. Elo, associate professor of sociology, has been appointed chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NCHS is a major health statistics agency, gathering statistical information from medical records, birth and death records, and interview surveys to promote policies to improve the nation’s public health.

Constitution Center Trustees: Dr. Gutmann and Mr. Levy

President Amy Gutmann and  Penn Term Trustee Paul Levy, L ’72, have been elected to The National Constitution Center’s Board of Trustees. “We are thrilled to have Amy and Paul on our Board of Trustees, and look forward to their insight and contributions,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO Joseph M. Torsella. 

Biometrics Chair for ASA: Dr. Heitjan

Dr. Daniel F. Heitjan, professor of biostatistics and senior scholar of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has been elected chair of the Biometrics Section of the American Statistical Association. He will serve as Chair-Elect in 2008, as Chair in 2009, and as Past Chair in 2010. The Biometrics section is concerned with the development and application of statistical and mathematical modeling methods in the biological sciences.

Humboldt Award: Dr. Janmey

Dr. Paul A. Janmey, professor of physiology, physics, and bioengineering in the School of Medicine, has been nominated and elected recipient of a Humboldt Research Award.  Dr. Janmey is being honored for his lifetime achievements in research and is invited to continue to pursue research projects of his own choosing in cooperation with specialist colleagues in Germany.

Ochsner Awards: Dr. Lerman

Dr. Caryn Lerman, Mary W. Calkins Professor of Pyschiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, has received two awards from the American Cancer Society: the 2007 Alton Ochsner Award Relating Smoking and Health for her work on pharmacogenetic approaches to nicotine dependence treatment, and the 2007 Cancer Control Award in recognition for her contributions to cancer prevention and control.

Dr. Maimon: Penn-Made President

Dr. Elaine Paslow Maimon, CW ’66, G ’67, GR ’70, has been named the new president of Governor’s State University in Illinois. See Almanac February 20, 2007 for other ‘Penn-Made’ Presidents.

Hall of Fame: Coach Micahnik

Penn Fencing Coach Dave Micahnik is going down in history—he is being recognized for 52 years in fencing by recently being elected for induction into the United States Fencing Association Hall of Fame. The annual induction is set to take place at the Summer 2008 Nationals in San Jose, California.

Grant for East African Research

Researchers from the Penn Museum and an international research team has received a $185,000 grant to study cattle pastoralism in East Africa. The grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation, will allow the team to complete a three-year research study focusing on the origins of cattle pastoralism in the eastern region of the continent. Archaeozoologist and research scientist Dr. Kathleen Ryan will complete the research study over the course of three years, mapping and testing excavation in central Laikipia, Kenya.

HUP Makes U.S. News ‘Honor Roll’

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has been selected for “Honor Roll” status in the U.S. News & World Report’s special, America’s Best Hospitals. HUP is one of only 18 hospitals in the country chosen from the 5,400 facilities surveyed. 

Cancer Control Board: Ms. Rogers

Ms. Jeanne M. Rogers, associate executive director of the Abramson Cancer Center and administrative director of the Penn Cancer Network, has been appointed by Governor Edward Rendell to the Pennsylvania Cancer Control, Prevention and Research Advisory Board. The board advises the Secretary of Health on cancer-related health matters.

AAA Fellow: Dr. Sanger

Dr. Joseph W. Sanger, professor emeritus of cell and developmental biology, has been elected a Fellow of the American Association of Anatomists (AAA). Dr. Sanger was one of four fellows elected. A plaque was presented to Dr. Sanger with the following inscription: “The rank of Fellow of the American Association of Anatomists honors distinguished members who have demonstrated excellence in Science and in their overall contributions to the Anatomical Sciences.”

IEEE Award: Dr. Van der Spiegel

Dr. Jan Van der Spiegel, professor in the electrical and systems engineering department, has been awarded the 2007 IEEE Educational Activities Board Major Educational Innovation Award. The award honors individuals who have distinguished themselves for outstanding educational innovation in a field of interest in the IEEE.

AcademyHealth Award: Dr. Volpp

Dr. Kevin Volpp, assistant professor of medicine and assistant professor of health care systems, has been awarded the Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award. The award recognizes scholars early in their careers as health services researchers who show exceptional promise for future contributions to the field.

PPMC Bach Fund Award: Dr. Von Feldt

Dr. Joan M. Von Feldt, associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, received the 2007 PPMC Bach Fund Award to pursue the project, Design an Evaluation of the Intervention “Ask Me 3™” to Improve Health Literacy in a Rheumatology Clinic. Dr. Von Feldt will be assisted by Dr. Ian Bennett, department of family practice, and Ms. Eleni Nackos, recipient of the American College of Rheumatology Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship.

Honor Award: Penn Connects

The Penn Connects team has been recognized by the Society for College and University Planning with an Honor Award for Excellence in Planning for an Established Campus. After the acquisition of the U.S. Postal lands, the Penn Connects team worked to develop a long-term urban design master plan for further connecting the east campus into the campus. (See Almanac January 23, 2007.)

2007-08 PIMFER Fellows