Accolades News for Researchers
Posted February 28, 2025 by Tiffany Lee
Honors and Recognitions
Eve Brank, law, received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Psychology-Law Society. The award recognizes members that have contributed exceptional meritorious professional service to the society and/or the field of legal/forensic psychology. Brank was honored for her longstanding contributions to AP-LS and to the state and community, and for her work on an innovative trial consulting program for graduate students. Her research focuses on the way the law intervenes – and sometimes interferes – in family and personal decision-making.
Scout Calvert and Andrew Jewell, University Libraries, were selected as fellows in the 2025 cohort of the Association of Research Libraries Intensive Learning Program. They join 18 other academic library leaders in exploring operational aspects of senior leader portfolios and responsibilities related to managing them. The program strengthens strategic thinking and decision-making skills to ensure effective leadership of research libraries in a time of rapid change.
David Hage, chemistry, received the Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry. The EAS awards honor scientists who have advanced work in one of six different fields through superior work in developing theory, techniques or instrumentation. Hage was honored for his contributions to analytical chemistry, which have focused on the design and use of affinity-based separations and methods in high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and other systems for the study or analysis of complex samples. His efforts in education and mentorship were also recognized.
Oleh Khalimonchuk, biochemistry, was named a fellow of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Fellows are selected for exceptional and sustained service to the society and accomplishments in research, education, mentorship, diversity and inclusion, advocacy and service to the scientific community. Khalimonchuk’s work focuses on the molecular bases of mitochondrial function and dysfunction as they relate to human disease and aging.
Josephine Lau and David Yuill, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, were named fellows of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Fellows are recognized for attaining distinction and making substantial contributions in the field through education, research, design and professional service. Lau’s research focuses on indoor environments and air quality, including ventilation in schools and hospitals, as well as renewable energy and air cleaning technology. Yuill’s work focuses on high-performance buildings, specifically their mechanical systems and the indoor environments they control. Lau and Yuill were among the 28 new fellows recognized at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in February in Orlando, Florida.
Publications
Garrett Anstreicher, economics, had his team’s working paper, “The Long Run Impacts of Court-Ordered Desegregation,” cited in the 2025 Economic Report Card of the President, released Jan. 10. The paper was cited in the report’s section on structural challenges and disparities in education outcomes after the pandemic.
Julian Atanassov, finance, published a paper in the Review of Financial Studies revealing that companies tend to increase investment in research and development when political uncertainty is high, especially during closely contested gubernatorial elections. In “The Bright Side of Political Uncertainty: The Case of R&D,” Atanassov found that firms see R&D as a strategic growth option in uncertain times. The finding contrasts with previous research focused on ways that political uncertainty negatively impacts business.
Kristen Blankley, law, was added as an author to the fourth edition of the best-selling casebook “Dispute Resolution: Beyond the Adversary Model,” published by Aspen. The casebook unites the theoretical and practical for dispute resolution teaching. Blankley contributed expertise in arbitration.
Iker González-Allende, modern languages and literatures, published an edited volume in Spanish titled “Masculinidades gays y maricas en la cultura española contemporánea,” or “Gay and Queer Masculinities in Contemporary Spanish Culture,” in late 2024. The book analyzes the diversity of masculinities of gay and queer men in Spanish culture from 1975 to the present, with 11 chapters written by renowned professors from universities in the United States, Spain and Australia.
Laura Muñoz, history and ethnic studies, won the New Scholar’s Book Award from the American Educational Research Association’s Division F (History and Historiography). The biennial award recognizes quality research in the history of education, featuring books that could expand, complicate, shift or disrupt understanding of existing and emerging topics. Muñoz was honored for “Desert Dreams: Mexican Arizona and the Politics of Educational Equality,” which chronicles 75 years of Mexican American efforts to attain educational equality in Arizona, from its territorial period in the 19th century to the post-World War II era.
Jessica Shoemaker, law, authored “Re-Placing Property,” which was reviewed by property law expert Yael Lifshitz in JOTWELL: The Journal of Things We Like (Lots). Lifshitz writes that Shoemaker’s article succeeds in drawing attention to the fact that land as land, and land as wealth, are not the same in either economic or social terms. JOTWELL is an online journal that highlights important and notable recent legal scholarship.
Professional Service
Nicolás Cafaro La Menza, agronomy and horticulture and Nebraska Extension, was elected the 2025 vice leader of the Applied Soybean Research Community. The organization is focused on fostering communication among applied soybean researchers worldwide to further the science that supports modern soybean production. Cafaro La Menza, who is based at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte, will become presiding leader of the community in 2026.
Aaron Lee M. Daigh, agronomy and horticulture, was appointed to the National Academies’ U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences. The committee represents the interests of the U.S. soil science community in the International Union of Soil Sciences and provides leadership in the advancement of soil science nationally and internationally. Daigh’s appointment will be as an ex officio member and liaison in USNC/SS representing the Soil Science Society of America, where he serves as the elected president. His three-year term began Jan. 1.
Danielle Jefferis, law, was solicited to serve as amicus curiae in four distinct cases, each of which drew on her research and expertise. In the amicus curiae role, which translates to “friend of the court,” Jefferis provided written expertise on a range of topics, including the Prison Litigation Reform Act, state wage transparency law, federal habeas corpus proceedings and statutes of limitations.
Christal Sheppard, law, was involved in the filing of three amicus briefs to the Supreme Court of the United States and two amicus briefs to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Sheppard provided expertise on a range of issues related to intellectual property and patents. She has also recently been involved in the filing of more than 25 comment letters in response to national and international administrative agencies’ request for comment.
Frans von der Dunk, law, presented at the University of Chicago International Law Journal Symposium, which in 2025 focused on technological innovation in global governance. Von der Dunk participated in the “Technology as a Creator” panel. Additionally, he presented “Space Tourism” during an event sponsored by the University of Chicago Law School’s International Programs and International Law Society.
Five College of Law faculty presented at the Association of American Law Schools annual meeting in January, the theme of which was “Courage in Action.”
- Gregory Dickinson spoke on a panel focused on efforts to regulate algorithms.
- Danielle Jefferis discussed her scholarship five times during the meeting, in addition to serving in her role as chair of the Section on Scholarship. Additionally, Jefferis was elected to two positions for the upcoming year: chair of the Section on Litigation and secretary of the Section on Civil Rights.
- Stefanie Pearlman participated on a panel discussing best practices for providing education to law students on bias and cross-cultural competency.
- Jessica Shoemaker, as part of her service on the executive board of the Section on Scholarship, moderated a panel titled “Supporting the Student Scholar.”
- Steven Willborn participated in a roundtable for the Arc of Career Program focused on how to turn ideas for laws into state legislation.
Other News
The College of Architecture recently placed two of its leaders in new roles. Yunwoo Nam was appointed director of the Community and Regional Planning Program. His goals include elevating the program’s visibility locally and nationally while fostering strong connections among students, faculty, alumni and community partners through collaborative research and service learning. Zhenghong Tang was appointed associate dean for research and innovation at the College of Architecture. In this role, he will promote a culture of innovation and collaboration in the college, which includes encouraging diverse perspectives, focusing on interdisciplinary design and planning initiatives for research and creative activity.
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