{"id":61158,"date":"2013-06-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-06-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news-draft\/uncategorized\/uri-celebrates-faculty-student-and-staff-excellence\/"},"modified":"2013-06-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-06-06T00:00:00","slug":"uri-celebrates-faculty-student-and-staff-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2013\/06\/uri-celebrates-faculty-student-and-staff-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"溏心vlog免费B站 celebrates faculty, student, and staff excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\tKINGSTON, R.I.–June 6, 2013– The 溏心vlog免费B站 recognized outstanding talent this month by presenting excellence awards to faculty, students, administrators and staff. The 溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation, the 溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation, and the 溏心vlog免费B站 Division of Research and Economic Development, held the joint award celebration on May 14. <\/p>\n

2013 溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation Excellence Awards are presented annually to four individuals who have excelled in the teaching, scholarly, administrative, and staff fields.<\/p>\n

\tEach honoree was presented a certificate and a $2,000 check in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the 溏心vlog免费B站 community. In addition, the four awardees were recognized during the 2013 commencement ceremonies. This year\u2019s recipients are:<\/p>\n

Teaching Excellence: Paula McGlasson of Charlestown, chair of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Theatre Department, plays a major role in educating theater students. <\/p>\n

\tUnder her leadership, the award-winning department continues to be recognized for its excellence throughout New England. That reputation has increased the number of motivated graduates who go on to graduate schools or become professionals.<\/p>\n

\tSince she joined 溏心vlog免费B站 in 1985, McGlasson has taught a wide range of courses from stage and theater management to acting and dance. Her students find her passion for theater infectious. While she holds them to high standards, she ensures they are well prepared when they graduate. <\/p>\n

\tMcGlasson has been production manager or choreographer for more than 65 plays at the University. She has won special ovations for 12 musicals performed at 溏心vlog免费B站 under her direction, from the gritty Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, to the gracious Little Women, to the rambunctious and lively Oklahoma! to the edgy Rocky Horror Show, to the classic Singin\u2019 in the Rain (with real rain).<\/p>\n

Scholarly Excellence: Peter August of Richmond, a professor of natural resources science, put Rhode Island on the map. In 1985, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was in its infancy, but August recognized that mapping with computers would not only aid his research in geospatial analysis, conversation biology, and landscape ecology, it would become fundamental to all science.<\/p>\n

\tHe developed GIS as a discipline, established the Environmental Data Center, and formed the consortium the Rhode Island Geographic Information System. That created the framework for constructing and maintaining the first comprehensive statewide GIS database, which became a model for the country.<\/p>\n

\tHe insisted the database be a community resource. Today, the geospatial data is routinely incorporated by federal, state, and municipal planners as they strive to make the best decisions about managing the Rhode Island landscape. <\/p>\n

\tAugust, also known as Mr. Map, has secured $10 million in research funding, authored 90-plus peer-reviewed publications and dozens of book chapters.<\/p>\n

Administrative Excellence: Kenneth Sisson of Saunderstown, assistant director of enrollment services, is a skillful matchmaker, one with the ability to unite available classroom space with courses offered in an ever-changing educational landscape where nothing is routine. <\/p>\n

\tSisson manages the scheduling of classes and events for 104 general assignment rooms in 26 buildings on the Kingston campus.<\/p>\n

\tFor example, the College of Arts and Sciences had more than 2,360 class sections during the 2011 fall semester that required lecture, recitation, laboratory, studio, and experiential learning space.<\/p>\n

\tComplicating Sisson\u2019s work is the significant increase in student enrollment, the growing need for disability accommodations, the expanded use of online, hybrid, and smart classrooms. He handles it all with competent calmness.<\/p>\n

Staff Excellence: Darlene Golomb of West Greenwich, building superintendent for facilities services, makes the University shine.<\/p>\n

\tAs a supervisor of custodial services, she oversees buildings, cleaning staff, vendor contracts, payroll, and training processes. Her creative leadership has had a profound impact on the cleanliness of buildings and employee morale. <\/p>\n

\tFaced with the mandate that custodial services for all new buildings be outsourced, Golomb created two pilot programs. One pilot program involved servicing a new building in-house for one year. After an extensive survey of building occupants, Custodial Services was found to have delivered superior service at a competitive price. A second pilot program brought 17 contracted buildings back to in-house service. \tAn employee for nearly 25 years, Golomb willingly helps her staff if necessary to get the job done. She is loyal to her workers and confident in their performance. With their help, she ensures that 溏心vlog免费B站 floors shine and windows sparkle. <\/p>\n

2013 Research Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

\tThe 溏心vlog免费B站 Division of Research and Economic Development in collaboration with the 溏心vlog免费B站 Council for Research recognized nine individuals with research excellence awards. The recipients, recommended for the awards by their mentors or peers, were recognized during the 2013 commencement ceremonies. In addition to a citation, faculty members received $1,000, the post-doctoral fellow and graduate students received $500, and undergraduate students received $250.<\/p>\n

Undergraduate Student Research Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

1) Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities: Andrew Burnap<\/p>\n

Andrew Burnap who sings, dances, and acts with equal ease in dramatic or comedic roles graduated in May with a bachelor\u2019s degree in theater. The South Kingstown resident played lead roles as diverse as Don Lockwood (the Gene Kelly lead) in Singin\u2019 In the Rain, the young romantic Val\u00e9re in Tartuffe, and the zany corset-wearing Frank-N-Furter in the Rocky Horror Show. <\/p>\n

\tLast year, he wowed judges at the regional American College Theatre Festival who selected him winner of the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Competition. He was chosen from a field of 250 actors representing 55 New England institutions. <\/p>\n

\tIn the fall, the 22-year-old actor will be one of 16 students chosen from a pool of about 1,400 to attend the Yale School of Drama, considered by some the most prestigious in the country.<\/p>\n

2)\tLife Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Teresa Mako <\/p>\n

A rising superstar in the field of organic chemistry, Teresa Mako helped design new methods to detect small toxic molecules that can cause cancer by studying energy transfer from those molecules to various fluorescent dyes. Her foundational research has been expanded to detect highly carcinogenic molecules such as bisphenol A (BPA) and benzo[a]pyrene.<\/p>\n

\tShe has also worked on the creation of a laboratory experiment for undergraduates to synthesize fluorescent polymers and fluorescent nanoparticles. <\/p>\n

\tThe 21-year-old scientist from South Deerfield, Mass. co-authored two articles that appeared in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, she has won four research awards, including first place in a poster competition from the Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation. In the fall, she will enter Boston College to pursue an advanced degree in organic chemistry.<\/p>\n

Graduate Student Research Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

1) Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities: Megan Martinelli<\/p>\n

Megan Martinelli, a Providence native, spent much of her childhood with American Girl books and dolls, captivated by each character\u2019s historic wardrobe. That fascination eventually led her to 溏心vlog免费B站. <\/p>\n

\tWhile working in the 溏心vlog免费B站 Historic Textile and Costume Collection, she discovered a rare 1920s hand painted dress attributed to Raymond Duncan, brother of famed dancer Isadora Duncan. <\/p>\n

\tCurious, she researched Duncan for a course on material culture and discovered that although he contributed to an extraordinary creative period in design history, he is largely absent from the history of 20th century fashion.<\/p>\n

\tTo rectify that omission, Martinelli scrutinized documents at Syracuse University and Berkeley, examined creative works housed in museum collections in Chicago, Boston, Newark, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. <\/p>\n

\tMartinelli who graduated in May with a master\u2019s degree in textiles, fashion merchandising and design, is preparing her research for publication in a scholarly journal. <\/p>\n

2) Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Amir Shirazi<\/p>\n

Before joining Professor Keykavous Parang\u2019s research group in 2010, Amir Shirazi, a pharmaceutical sciences doctoral student, had a limited background in medicinal chemistry, nanotechnology, and drug delivery.<\/p>\n

\tToday, his research is making significant contributions to the field of nano drug delivery systems and will be of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. While working on the design of peptide-based nanocarriers, Shirazi and coworkers discovered a new class of peptides for delivery of anti-HIV and anti-cancer drugs. His research documents the potential of new peptide-drug hybrids that could be used for the targeted delivery of cell-impermeable anti-cancer agents in chemotherapy. <\/p>\n

\tThe Wakefield resident has authored or coauthored 19 articles that appeared in peer-reviewed publications, 15 of them as the result of his current research in Parang\u2019s laboratory, and presented his research at more than 20 national and international scientific meetings.<\/p>\n

Postdoctoral Fellow Research Excellence Award<\/p>\n

Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Rakesh Tiwari<\/p>\n

Rakesh Tiwari\u2019s interest in the application of chemistry in biology led him to 溏心vlog免费B站. He joined Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology Keykavous Parang\u2019s laboratory six years ago and quickly established a reputation as an outstanding scientist.<\/p>\n

\tThe pharmaceutical science postdoctoral fellow collaborates with national and international scientists to design protein kinase inhibitors as anti-cancer agents. As a result, several anti-cancer compounds have been discovered. Some of the compounds are also active in autoimmune diseases and are currently under investigation at the Henry Ford Hospital.<\/p>\n

\tMore recently, the Kingston resident has worked in synthesis and assay development for neuroprotective agents. His promising work could help slow the progression of stroke and Huntington\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

\tHe has published more than 40 research articles and won several competitive awards including a prestigious $94,000 American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship.\t<\/p>\n

Early Career Faculty Research Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

1) Social Sciences, Art and Humanities: Carlos Garcia-Quijano<\/p>\n

Carlos Garcia-Quijano of Providence, an ecological anthropologist and coastal ethnologist, studies broad questions about the relationship between society, culture, and environment by combining cultural, socioeconomic and ecological approaches. <\/p>\n

\tHis research and writing engages topics such as coastal peoples\u2019 local ecological knowledge and its relationship to livelihood success and application to improved coastal management, as well as the relationships between access to coastal resources and the quality of life and well being of local peoples. He also studies the adaptations and responses of coastal people to ecosystem change such as species introductions. His research takes place in the Caribbean and U.S. East Coast. <\/p>\n

\tWorking on a project with 溏心vlog免费B站 Fisheries, Garcia-Quijano is collecting knowledge about lobsters from local lobstermen, who have been often overlooked in fisheries management. <\/p>\n

\tAwarded more than $300,000 in grants and fellowships, Garcia-Quijano is routinely published in top anthropological and environmental journals.<\/p>\n

2)\tLife Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Jason Dwyer <\/p>\n

Since Chemistry Professor Jason R. Dwyer joined 溏心vlog免费B站 in 2009, the Narrangansett resident has found the formula for research success. He has been awarded more than $600,000 in research funding, including a highly competitive $400,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award that will support his work through 2017.<\/p>\n

Dwyer builds nanofabricated, single-molecule tools to both explore the chemical world and to develop new methods and devices for rapid, low-cost biomedical diagnosis. <\/p>\n

He has published 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals, given more than 50 presentations at national and international meetings and appeared in a feature documentary for the Discovery Channel. While committed to fundamental research, Dwyer is a proponent of translating those insights into applications. He is a co-founder of the nanotechnology company Insight Nanofluidics, Inc. The first two graduates of his research group are employed in Rhode Island high tech companies.<\/p>\n

Advanced Career Faculty Research Excellence Awards<\/p>\n

1) Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities: Kathleen Davis<\/p>\n

Kathleen Davis of Charlestown, an associate professor of English, is an internationally recognized scholar whose field of expertise includes not only literature and philosophy within the Medieval and Anglo-Saxon periods, but also post-colonial theory, translation theory, and the histories of secularism and periodization. <\/p>\n

She has authored two books, co-edited two others, and has three more in development. In addition, she has authored 18 articles and book chapters, a translation, two reference\/encyclopedia entries, eight book reviews, and has two articles forthcoming.<\/p>\n

\tShe has delivered 40 conference presentations and 25 invited or keynote lectures at prestigious national and international venues, sometimes built around her scholarship.<\/p>\n

\tFor example, her most influential book, Periodization and Sovereignty: How Ideas of Feudalism and Secularization Govern the Politics of Time, published in 2008 was the subject of a scholarly panel at the 2011 American Association in Religion meeting.<\/p>\n

2)\tLife Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering: Yana Reshetnyak <\/p>\n

Yana Reshetnyak\u2019s research toward creating routine medical imaging procedures holds enormous potential benefits for generations to come.
\n\tAfter joining 溏心vlog免费B站 in 2004 as a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Faculty Fellow, she established a research and educational program in biological physics. \t<\/p>\n

The Saunderstown resident is the main inventor of pHLIP\u00ae technology, a novel approach to deliver imaging and therapeutic agents to diseased acidic tissue, including cancer, ischemic myocardium, and infection. She is collaborating with leading laboratories at Yale, Brown, Oxford Universities, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and MD Anderson Cancer Centers to transfer pHLIP\u00ae technology into clinics. Her research is well funded by National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense grants, together with her collaborators in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Physics Department and Yale she received $6 million in research money. <\/p>\n

\tShe co-authored more than 50 papers, including reviews and book chapters in prestigious journals. She also designed and implemented a master\u2019s degree in medical physics with her physics colleagues and the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rhode Island Hospital, Brown Alpert Medical School.<\/p>\n

\t溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation Intellectual Property Patent Excellence Award <\/p>\n

Intellectual Property Patent Excellence Award: Qing Yang<\/p>\n

The 溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation, in collaboration with the 12 members of the Intellectual Property Committee and 溏心vlog免费B站 deans, presents intellectual property patent award(s) each year. <\/p>\n

\t Electrical Engineering Professor Qing Yang helps computers go faster. With computers controlling everything from stock trades to traffic lights, their speed and reliability are necessities.<\/p>\n

\tYang\u2019s research focuses on computer architectures, memory and storage systems, computer networks, embedded computer systems and their application to neural-machine interfaces and biomedical engineering. <\/p>\n

\tThe Saunderstown resident holds more than a dozen patents. Many of his patents, often developed with the assistance of students, have been licensed to the computer industry with significant practical impact. <\/p>\n

\tYang co-founded the company, VeloBit, Inc., to commercialize several of his patents. The company is developing new software to improve data storage performance. The market for such technology has boomed in recent years as interest in cloud computing has soared. The company\u2019s technology is already in use at 520 installations across five continents. Its success has helped the company raise more than $5 million in venture capital and hire 15 people.<\/p>\n

Pictured above
\nFoundation Excellence Award winners
\n Paula McGlasson of Charlestown, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Nora Lewis
\nPeter August of Richmond, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Nora Lewis
\nKenneth Sisson of Saunderstown, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Nora Lewis
\nDarlene Golomb of West Greenwich, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Nora Lewis
\nPhotos by Nora Lewis <\/p>\n

Research Foundation Excellence Awards
\nAndrew Burnap of South Kingstown, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nTeresa Mako of South Deerfield, Mass., 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nMegan Martinelli, of Providence, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nAmir Shirazi, of Wakefield, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nRakesh Tiwari of Kingston, submitted photo
\nCarlos Garcia-Quijano of Providence, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\n Jason R. Dwyer of Narrangansett, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Gilbin
\nKathleen Davis of Charlestown, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nYana Reshetnyak of Saunderstown, 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Joe Giblin
\nQing Yang of Saunderstown, 溏心vlog免费B站 Photo by Joe Giblin
\nPhotos by Joe Giblin<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I.–June 6, 2013– The 溏心vlog免费B站 recognized outstanding talent this month by presenting excellence awards to faculty, students, administrators and staff. The 溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation, the 溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation, and the 溏心vlog免费B站 Division of Research and Economic Development, held the joint award celebration on May 14. 2013 溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation Excellence Awards 溏心vlog免费B站 Foundation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61173,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}