Accolades News for Researchers
Posted February 1, 2017 by jbrehm2
Awards, Honors and Recognitions
John Woollam, electrical and computer engineering, will receive the 2017 R.F. Bunshah Award and present an honorary lecture at the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films at the organization’s annual conference in April.
Rhonda Fuelberth, music education, received the 2016 Nebraska Outstanding Choral Director of the Year award from the Nebraska Choral Directors Association. The honor recognizes teaching experience, high performance and literature standards, participation in the association and promotion of choral music in the community.
Larry Berger, animal science (emeritus), received a distinguished alumnus award from Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Science and Industry.
Wayne Drummond, architecture (emeritus), was named an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, one of the organization’s top honors to recognize non-landscape architects’ service to the profession.
Sebastian Elbaum, computer science and engineering, was one of 45 people from around the world who was named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery in 2016. Elbaum was recognized for advancing science, engineering and education and for significant accomplishments in program testing and analysis.
Sherilyn Fritz, earth and atmospheric sciences, is the Swedish Research Council’s Tage Erlander Visiting Professor, an honor awarded annually to an international researcher in the natural sciences or engineering. Fritz is collaborating with colleagues in Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden, on research to investigate how climate change is affecting the South American tropics.
The College of Journalism and Mass Communications was selected as a partner in Google News Lab, an international network of journalism schools that receive the same training and support Google provides to journalists in newsrooms.
Creative Activity
Wheeler Winston Dixon, film studies, and Gwendolyn Audrey Foster, English and film studies, had November screenings of their videos at The Amos Emo Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, and The Sla307 Art Space in New York City. Dixon’s videos include “Life of Luxury,” “An American Dream” and “Beat Box.” Foster’s videos include “Echo and Narcissus,” “Mirror,” “Tenderness” and more.
Fellowships
Patrick Dussault, chemistry; Mary Anne Holmes, earth and atmospheric sciences (emeritus); Gary Pickard, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Robert Powers, chemistry; and Mary Willis, nutrition and health sciences, were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society.
Shane Farritor, mechanical and materials engineering, was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a high professional distinction given to academic inventors. Farritor developed an advanced miniaturized robot for general abdominal surgery procedures and a patented system for measuring and monitoring railroad track integrity.
Hope Wabuke, English, received a 2017 poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Wabuke was one of 37 writers, out of more than 1,800 applicants, to receive the honor. Her work focuses on African literature, immigration and refugees.
Linxia Gu, mechanical and materials engineering, was named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in recognition of her engineering achievements, including a National Science Foundation CAREER award and longstanding ASME membership.
Gregg Rothermel, computer science and engineering, and Hamid Sharif, electrical and computer engineering, were named Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Rothermel was selected for his contributions to software testing and end-user software engineering. Sharif was selected for his work to develop railroad wireless communication systems.
Wayne Babchuk, anthropology; Debbie Minter, English; Leen-Kiat Soh, computer science and engineering; and Manda Williamson, psychology, are the College of Arts and Sciences’ inaugural Teaching Academy fellows. Members of the Teaching Academy lead interactive teaching workshops, serve as peer mentors and organize symposia on issues related to undergraduate education. Fellows also will publish research in their areas of expertise.
Professional Involvement
Tim Gay, physics and astronomy, was elected speaker of the Council for the American Physical Society for 2017-2018.
Colleen Medill, law, is serving a three-year term on the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefits Plans, which offers advice to the U.S. Department of Labor on issues related to labor, management and the public.
Jack Beard, law, was elected to the board of directors of the American branch of the International Law Association. He also chairs the Committee on the International Use of Force.
Jessica Shoemaker, law, is serving a three-year term on the Great Plains Research journal’s first editorial board.
Kirk Dombrowski, sociology, has been selected to join the education board at the American Health Council. He will share his knowledge and expertise on social network analysis in health, rural public health and drug abuse.
Publishing Awards
Richard Sutton, agronomy and horticulture, received the Green Roof Excellence Award for Research for his book, Green Roof Ecosystems.
Prairie Schooner, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s international literary journal, celebrated its 90th anniversary in December 2016. It is one of the oldest continuously publishing journals in the U.S.
Ken Cassman, agronomy and horticulture (emeritus); Jinsong Huang, mechanical and materials engineering; Shashi Verma, natural resources (emeritus); and Mehmet Can Vuran, computer science and engineering, were named to the “Highly Cited Researchers 2016” list compiled by Clarivate Analytics. The list recognizes researchers whose peer-reviewed papers have been cited frequently in academic literature.
Other Noteworthy Accomplishments
Justin (Gus) Hurwitz, law, joined Matthew Schaefer, law, as co-director of the Space, Cyber and Telecommunications Law program in the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Donde Plowman became executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer Jan. 1. Previously, Plowman was dean of the College of Business Administration.
Christopher Tuan, civil engineering, had his conductive concrete research featured Jan. 10 on the CBS show “The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation.”
Megan Elliot is founding director of the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts. Elliot came from the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, where she was manager of leadership and community connections. She also is former director and CEO of the X Media Lab think tank.
Andrew Park is artistic director for the Nebraska Repertory Theatre and research assistant professor in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. Park is an award-winning artistic director, stage director, playwright, lyricist and puppeteer.
Accolades are compiled from faculty and staff nominations, weekly Achievement columns published by University Communication, and college, center and departmental websites. To submit yours or a colleague’s, complete the form below.
Research News Accolades Submission Form
