4/30/2002, HONORS & Other Things - Almanac, Vol. 48, No. 32

HONORS & Other Things

Ehrlich Faculty Award: Dr. Harkavy

Dr. Ira Harkavy, associate vice president and director of the Center for Community Partnerships, is the recipient of the 2002 Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning. This award recognizes outstanding faculty contributions for integrating service into the curriculum and for efforts to institutionalize service learning at colleges and universities. "Ira is not only one of the parents of modern service learning movement," said President Judith Rodin, "but he has also made seminal intellectual contributions to the field, including the concept of academically-based community service with his emphasis on the integration of research, teaching, service, problem solving and structural change."

The award, named for former provost and Penn Trustee Thomas Ehrlich, is given by Campus Compact, a national coalition of 817 college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education.

Zubrow Award: Dr. Caplan

Dr. Arthur L. Caplan, the Emanuel and Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics, professor of philosophy, and director of the Center for Bioethics, has been chosen as the recipient of the Molly and Sidney N. Zubrow Award. The Program on May 9, will include a lecture by Dr. Caplan on Stemming the Tide: Ethical Issues in Cloning and Stem Cell Research. The Award program was established by Dr. and Mrs. Zubrow in 1981 to highlight humanism in medicine.

Geschwind Prize: Dr. Chatterjee

Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, associate professor, neurology at the School of Medicine, has been given the Norman Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Chatterjee received the award for his research directed at understanding the architecture and neural basis for human cognition. "This award is in recognition of Dr. Chatterjee's approach to expanding the scientific basis of neurobiological research," said Dr. Francisco Gonzales-Scarano chair of the department of neurology.

Clogg Award: Dr. Smith

Dr. Herbert Smith, professor of sociology, who will become associate dean for the social sciences on July 1, has received the Clifford C. Clogg Award for Early Career Achievement. Dr. Smith was recognized for outstanding, innovative scholarly achievements in population studies and demography.

Radio Award: Mr. Warren

Bruce Warren, program director for WXPN, has won the Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Award in the category of Triple A Program/Operations Director of the Year. WXPN was the only non-commercial radio station recognized.

The award honors excellence in the radio industry. "I am flattered to have been selected by my peers for this prestigious award, " said Mr. Warren, " to be a winner along with one of the top commercial stations in the country is truly an honor."

HERS Institute: Ms. Austin

Janice L. Austin, assistant dean of admissions and financial aid at the Law School, has been selected to attend the Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education at Bryn Mawr College. She will join women from across the country in a month-long program which is co-sponsored by Bryn Mawr College and Higher Education Resources (HERS) Mid-Atlantic.

AWFA Awards

The Association of Women Faculty and Administrators presented five awards to nine women at its annual breakfast at the Sheraton on April 11.

The Leonore Rowe Williams Award was given to Dr. Phyllis Rackin, professor of English, and Dr. Susan Davidson, professor in CIS and co-director of the Center for Bioinformatics.

Dr. Rackin was commended for "...over 30 years of exemplary teaching, prodigious intellectual output, and with multiple recognitions for your Shakespearean scholarship, you have built a legacy of academic excellence and have served as an important model for aspiring faculty women. This legacy will speak your name for many years to come."
Dr. Davidson, was recognized for "...have[ing] achieved international recognition for your work in Informatics and database research, at the same time making significant contributions to SEAS through teaching and service. A major voice on the presence and role of women at the University, you brought the highly acclaimed Grace Hopper Program to both women and men of engineering and raised the visibility of successful women scholars, providing a venue for women students and faculty to network and support each other. Your ongoing advising and mentorship of women colleagues and students are testimony to your commitment to the advancement of women in academia."

The Robert E. Davies Award recipient was Ms. Gloria Gay, of the Penn Women's Center for being "…a dedicated, passionate, diligent and courageous woman who has empowered women to effect change in their lives. Personally and internationally, you have brought heightened awareness and strength, you have helped women heal, find justice and experience freedom form social, political, and personal oppression."

The Alice Paul Awards went to five students:

Justine Andronici and Sara Berger, School of Law, for "skillful and direct initiation of discussions and programs. You have lead the charge against gender discrimination in the Penn Law School community."
Preeti Advani, SSW, for "work with Women in Social Work, Queer Social Workers and Allies at Penn, the LGBT Center, and the Seeking Common Ground Project, you have carved safe havens for exploration, networking and empowerment for all women."
Chekemma Fulmore, School of Social Work, for "significant contributions to the quality of life for Penn women of color and for West Philadelphia school students and residents."
Jennifer Moore, SAS, for "Your many and important contributions to the lives of LGBT students as a mentor, leader and organizer, your commitment to service and your contributions to service organizations…"

The Lynda Hart Award was presented to Gabrielle Ianoela, SAS. "A shining example to your peers, and a leader among women of the theater arts, you have shown extraordinary accomplishment through your leadership on the Theater Arts Board, your contributions to the 2001 v-Day project and to the Edinburgh ensemble."

Cancer Research Grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has awarded three grants for research in breast and cervical cancer.

Dr. Lewis A. Chodosh, associate professor of molecular and cellular engineering, was awarded $34,975 to research Special Effects of K-Ras in the Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer.
Dr. Hildegund C. J. Ertl, professor, Wistar Institute, received $35,000 to analyze Vaccine Prevention of HPV-16 Associated Cancer.
Dr. Ronen Marmorstein, associate professor, Wistar Institute, received $35,000 to study Structural Basis for Inactivation of the Retinoblastoma Protein by the E7 Protein form Human Papillomavirus.

Three Guggenheim Fellows

Three SAS faculty members have received fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation this year "for distinguished scholarly achievement and exceptional promise for future accomplishment in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and creative arts." The recipients are:

Dr. Marsha Lester, professor of chemistry, for study of radical reactions in the lower atmosphere.
Dr. David Ludden, professor of history, for a history of knowledge about South Asian economies from 1770-1930.
Dr. Kathy Peiss, professor of history, for research on taste and the myth of American classlessness.

Two NEH Grants

NEH Preservation and Access Grants have been awarded to:

Dr. Albert L. Lloyd, professor emeritus of German, has received $112,790 for An Etymological Dictionary of Old High German.
Dr. Stephen Tinney, assistant professor of Mesopotamian Language and Literature and assistant curator of Babylonian Section of the University Museum, has received $302,000 for Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary.

Penn Prize for Excellence in Teaching by Graduate Students

(Left to right) Ari Blatt, Shari Hertzberg, Michael Higley, Danielle Kellogg, Peter Menacker, Ian Petrie, Chris Ritter, Fran Ryan, and William Semus; not shown, Thomas Sullivan.

A selection committee, chaired by Dr. Walter Licht, included faculty from different schools and past prize winners. They selected 30 graduate students based on the nominations submitted online by undergraduates, and invited each of the 30 to write a statement of their teaching philosophy, and to submit a letter of recommendation by a faculty member who supervised their teaching. The committee then picked the ten winners, based on the nominations, teaching philosophy, and recommendation. The teaching philosophies will be posted at www.upenn.edu/grad. The winners this year are:

Ari Blatt, Romance Languages
Shari Hertzberg, Neurosciences
Michael Higley, Neurosciences
Danielle Kellogg, Ancient History
Peter Menacker, English

Ian Petrie, History
Chris Ritter, History
Fran Ryan, History
William Semus, Math
Thomas Sullivan, Philosophy

At the recent reception at the Graduate Student Center, President Judith Rodin--who created and funded these awards in 2000--made the presentations, along with Dr. Licht and Vice Provost Peter Conn who also spoke.

Three Thouron Fellows

Photo by Candace diCarlo

Robert Pringle, Pranav Gupta, and Sherry Orbach

Two Penn seniors and one recent graduate have received Thouron Awards to pursue graduate degrees in the United Kingdom next year.

Pranav Gupta, EAS/W'02, computer science and finance, MS telecommunications, will study for an M.Sc. in economics at the London School of Economics
Sherry Orbach, C'02, philosophy, politics & economics, is planning to study for an M.Phil. in philosophy at Cambridge University.
Robert Pringle C'01, history and biology, will study for an M.Phil. in economics and social history at St. John's College, Oxford University.

History Fellowship: Ms. Agbe-Davies

Ms. Anna Sophia Agbe-Davies, has been awarded the Jamestown Scholars dissertation fellowship for her dissertation, Up in Smoke: Tobacco, Pipe-Making and Bacon's Rebellion. The Award is given by the Organization of American Historians and is dedicated to the teaching and study of American History in conjunction with the National Park Service to support Ph.D. candidates contributing to the understanding of Jamestown on its 400th anniversary.

Three Mellon Fellowships

Mellon Fellowships are designed to help exceptionally promising students prepare for careers of teaching and scholarship in humanistic disciplines. It is a competitive merit award for first-year doctoral students. This year three Penn students have received the fellowships.

Afia Ofori-Mensa, C'02, an English major with minors in Latin American Studies and Afro-American Studies. She is a Ben Franklin Scholar.
Paul Padovano, C'02, is a philosophy and history major. He is a University Scholar.
Alumna Beatrice Jauregui, C'00, is a summa cum laude major in psychology and sociology. She was a University and Ben Franklin Scholar. All three will pursue Ph.D. degrees and plan on becoming academics.

A Second Gates Scholar

Alexander Bernhardt, a senior in Wharton and engineering, won a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. He will pursue an M.Phil. in Management Studies at Cambridge University.

Nassau Fund Awards

Nassau Fund provides support for undergraduate researchers. The grants are made on a competitive basis and coordinated by CURF. This year's winners are:

Jaime Bard, C'02, for Great Old Broads for Wilderness: Little Old Ladies and America's Wild Lands.
Christine Bare, C'02, for Weaving Identities: The Revival of Germantown Textiles in Navajo Culture.
April Birnbaum, C'02, for Strategies in Achieving Environmental Justice: a Comparative Analysis of Grassroots Efforts in Chester City, PA and Covent, LA.
Jordan Fishman, C'02, for The Neural Basis of Visual Distraction.

Almanac, Vol. 48, No. 32, April 30, 2002

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tuesday,
April 30, 2002
Volume 48 Number 32
www.upenn.edu/almanac/

School of Social Work selects three recipients for Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Robin Beck will succeed Jim O'Donnell at ISC when he leaves for Georgetown.

Virginia Clark leaves Penn for a newly created post at the Smithsonian.

Penn's Chaplain denounces hate speech.

The Bridge: Cinema De Lux comes to 40th and Walnut.

The Museum is preparing to open its new wing and courtyard to the community with several celebrations, tours and a new exhibition.

Retirement seminars for investors of all ages and at all stages of planning.

Procedures for the establishment, merger, and closing of departments, divisions and entities within schools.