Focus publishes a column on a periodic basis that recognizes significant accomplishments of members of the Rutgers community. Faculty and staff who wish to be recognized for achievement, or those who would like to note the achievements of others, may submit a notice of their awards or honors through the Submit News form.

John Aiello, professor of psychology (NB), was named president of the American Psychological Association’s Division 34: Population and Environmental Psychology for 2005-06.

JoAnn Arnholt, dean of fraternity and sorority affairs (NB), is the recipient of the 2005 Spirit of Greek Bowling Green State University Award for her contributions within the field of fraternity and sorority advising following her time at Bowling Green. Arnholt served as the associate director of small group housing and Greek life at BGSU from 1989 to 1995.

Edward Arnold, professor of chemistry (NB), has been elected a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology. The academy, the leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, recognizes excellence, originality, and creativity in the microbiological sciences.

Gail Ashley, professor of geological sciences (NB), was awarded honorary membership in the Society for Sedimentary Geology) at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Society of Sedimentary Geologists annual meeting in April, held in Houston. The award is for professional accomplishments and outstanding service.

Frank Askin, School of Law-Newark professor, received a Rutgers University Human Dignity Award for his work in establishing the Minority Student Program and for helping to foster its mission for almost 40 years.

Robert Atkins, assistant professor at the College of Nursing (Newark), was awarded the Research Nurse of the Year award by the Concerned Black Nurses of Newark for his contributions to the improvement of New Jersey youths’ health. 

George Atwood, professor of psychology (NB), was honored with the International Society for the Psychological Treatment of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses – United States Chapter Award.

Mark Baker, professor of linguistics (NB), is the recipient of an American Philosophical Society fellowship for research on “A Cross-Linguistic Theory of Agreement and Concord.”

Roger Balm, assistant instructor of geography (NB), participated in the 2006 NEH Summer Institute “Maya Worlds: On-Site in Chiapas, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize,” sponsored by the Community College Humanities Association and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Herman Bennett, professor of history (NB), was awarded both a Fredrick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship for Recently Tenured Scholars by the American Council of Learned Societies and a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship. He will spend the year in residence at the Institute for Advanced Study, School of Historical Studies working on his project “An Early Modern Culture of Freedom: Black Christian Narratives in Absolutist New Spain, 1640-1750.”

Joan Bennett, professor of plant biology and pathology (NB), is the recipient of the Alice Evans Award from the American Society of Microbiology for her contributions to the advancement and participation of women in microbiology. Bennett serves as associate vice president and head of the Rutgers Office to Advance Women in Science and is a scientist scholar-in-residence at the Douglass Project.

Helen M. Berman, Board of Governors Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (NB), received the M.J. Buerger Award from the American Crystallographic Association at the association’s annual national meeting in Honolulu in July. The award recognizes her lifetime work in the pioneering development of information services for the global community of researchers who produce and use structural data from large biological molecules. 

Lee Blessing, associate professor in the theater arts department, Mason Gross School of the Arts, received a Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for his work “A Body of Water.” The prize, which includes a grant of $25, 000, is the highest cash award in American playwriting.

Jozsef Borocz, associate professor of sociology (NB), is the 2006 Immanuel Wallerstein Chair of the World Systems Analysis Research Group at the Centre for Ethics and Value Inquiry, Ghent University, Belgium.

David Brodzinsky, professor of psychology (NB) and director of the Foster Care Counseling Project, is a founding member of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute Senior Research Fellows Program, an unprecedented initiative that brings together a group of the country’s most distinguished adoption experts to share knowledge and improve adoption practice and policy.

Sherri-Ann Butterfield, assistant professor of sociology (Newark), was named National Social Science Research Council Fellow for the 2006-07 academic year. As part of her fellowship, Butterfield will travel to Great Britain to work on the National Science Foundation-funded “Children of Immigrants in Schools” project.

Esther Canty-Barnes, clinical professor (Newark) and director of the Special Education Clinic, was honored by the National Association of Women Judges (District III) in celebration of the accomplishments of women in the legal profession.

Susan Carroll, professor at the Center for American Women and Politics (NB), is the recipient of the 2006 Outstanding Professional Achievement Award, given by the Midwest Women’s Caucus for Political Science.

Art Chaovalitwongse, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering (NB), received a 2006 Faculty Early Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation for his research and education on optimization and data mining approaches for epilepsy research. The award includes $400,000 in research funding over the next five years.