Recent awards, recognition and accomplishments by UNL faculty for research, scholarly and creative endeavors. We'll highlight faculty accomplishments in each issue of Research News. Let us know about yours by e-mailing the information to vmiller2@unl.edu.

Paul Steger, director of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film, was invited to join the National Theatre Conference, a cooperative association of distinguished leaders of American theatre.

Kamlakar Rajurkar, professor of industrial and management systems engineering, received the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Gold Medal, the group’s top international award. Rajurkar was selected for the quality of his published literature, technical writings and lectures.

Mark Griep, associate professor of chemistry, and his wife, geometric artist Marjorie Mikasen, recently published ReAction: Chemistry in the Movies. The book explores the bright and sinister sides of chemistry in more than 110 films.

"Vortex ferroelectric domains," a paper co-authored by Alexei Grouverman, associate professor of physics and astronomy, was named one of the top papers of 2008 by the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.

UNL faculty were 2009 winners of the University of Nebraska's most prestigious awards for research, teaching and engagement:

• Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award: Michael James, chair of textiles, clothing and design and the Ardis James Professor of Textiles, is an internationally known quilt artist who pioneered ways to incorporate digital technology into quilt making.
• Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award: Donald Lee, professor of agronomy and horticulture, was honored for his leadership in teaching plant biology, genetics and biotechnology to UNL students. Calvin Garbin, professor of psychology, was honored for teaching research methods, data analysis and psychometrics.
• Innovation, Development and Entrepreneurship Award: Donald Weeks, professor of biochemistry, was recognized for his pioneering work in plant biochemistry and biotechnology.

The University of Nebraska Press was named Independent Publisher of the Year by ForeWord magazine. During the awards ceremony, ForeWord  publisher Victoria Sutherland called the UNP "a publisher that excelled in its role of keeper of the cultural heritage, a university publisher that has deliberately made a place for itself in the world of trade as the curator of consistently wonderful books in several special markets."

Christian Binek, associate professor of physics and astronomy, co-authored the article, "Self-assembly of magnetic Ni nanoparticles into 1D arrays with antiferromagnetic order," featured on the March 11 cover of Nanotechnology.

Stephen Baenziger, professor of agronomy and horticulture, was appointed to the International Rice Research Institute’s board of trustees. IRRI’s mission is to reduce world hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and strive for environmentally sustainable rice production. Baenziger also was an honoree at the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement’s annual banquet.

The Department of Mathematics received the American Mathematical Society’s 2009 Award for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a Mathematics Department. It was recognized for recruiting and mentoring women students and for implementing the NebraskaMATH teacher development program.

The UNL chapter of Sigma Xi, the science and engineering honorary society, announced its annual award winners: Rick Bevins, professor of psychology, Outstanding Scientist Award; David Carter, assistant professor of entomology, Outstanding Young Scientist Award; and John Shiel, chemistry graduate student, Outstanding Graduate Student Award.

Marin Hanson, curator of exhibitions, and Patricia Cox Crews, professor of textiles, clothing and design, and director of the International Quilt Studies Center and Museum, are co-editors of American Quilts in the Modern Age 1870-1940: The International Quilt Study Center Collections. The University of Nebraska Press published the book.

Deb Hope, professor of psychology, was elected president of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Stephen Wegulo, assistant professor of plant pathology, received the 2008 Dinsdale Family Faculty Award, given to untenured faculty who demonstrate commitment to academic excellence in teaching, research and outreach.

Judy Walker, professor of mathematics, is the Mathematical Association of America’s George Pólya Lecturer for 2009-2011. During her term, Walker will be a featured presenter at MAA meetings.

Larry Berger joined UNL in August as professor and head of the Department of Animal Science. He came to UNL from the University of Illinois, where he was an animal science professor.

John Bailey, professor of flute, conducted the International Flute Orchestra during its tour of Poland.

Four College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources faculty members received 2009 awards from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. Bryan Reiling, associate professor of animal science; Darrell Mark, associate professor of agricultural economics; and Cheryl Bailey, assistant professor of biochemistry, received Teacher Fellow Awards. CASNR dean Steve Waller received the Distinguished Educator Award.

Clarence Waters, associate professor of architectural engineering, was named a Fellow of the Architectural Engineering Institute, a national organization for building industry professionals.

Terry Klopfenstein, professor of animal science, received the American Society of Animal Science Morrison Award, given annually to a society member who has done outstanding recent research of direct importance in livestock production.

Galen Erickson, associate professor of animal science, received the ASAS Early Career Achievement Award, which recognizes young scholars working to further the society's mission of "discovery, sharing and application of scientific knowledge concerning the responsible use of animals to enhance human life and well-being."

Martin Massengale, professor of agronomy and horticulture, former NU president and former UNL chancellor, received the UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Association 2009 Alumni Service Award.

Liz Lorang, graduate research assistant in English, was awarded a Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Completion Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year for her dissertation, "American newspaper poetry from the rise of the penny press to the new journalism." Part of the Andrew W. Mellon/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program, dissertation fellowships assist graduate students in the final year of doctoral dissertation writing.

The University of Nebraska State Museum was reaccredited by the American Association of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded U.S. museums. The museum has been continuously accredited since 1973.

Cynthia Wei, a post-doctoral research associate in the School of Biological Sciences, has been named an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow. Fellows spend a year working in federal agencies or congressional offices. Wei, whose research interests are science communications and education, will join the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education.

Lesa Hoffman, assistant professor of psychology, was elected to the Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology, a select organization for researchers interested in multivariate quantitative methods and their application to psychology.

Two political science faculty members received honors at the American Political Science Association's annual meeting in September. Dona-Gene Mitchell, assistant professor of political science, received APSA's award for best dissertation in political psychology for "It’s about Time: The Dynamics of Information Processing in Political Campaigns.” Sergio Wals Aparicio, assistant professor of political science and ethnic studies, was co-author of a paper, "Uplifting Manhood to Wonderful Heights: Newspaper Framing of Casualties from World War I to Gulf War II," that received the 2009 Paul Lazarsfeld Award for best paper on political communications.