Faculty Honored for Research, Teaching, Service, and Diversity Initiatives
Each year faculty and other members of the university community receive awards for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. The following individuals and a student group, Engineers Without Borders-USA Rutgers University Student Chapter, were honored during a May 4 ceremony held at the Rutgers Visitors Center.
The Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching is awarded to faculty members in recognition of outstanding service in stimulating and guiding the intellectual development of students at Rutgers University. The award includes a $1,000 honorarium.
Ousseina D. Alidou, Department of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures, School of Arts and Sciences, was honored for guiding her students to an understanding of different ways of seeing and knowing, and stimulating thinking and performance at the highest levels.
Allan J. Espiritu, Department of Fine Arts, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Camden, was recognized for his innovative approaches to the teaching of graphic design that bridge the gaps between the theoretical, conceptual, and practical aspects of the field.
Michael L. Littman, Department of Computer Science, School of Arts and Sciences, was honored for his contributions to the intellectual development of his students, including his gift for finding creative ways to help students understand even the most complex course materials.
The Rutgers Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Research honors faculty members who have made distinguished research contributions to their discipline or society. Recipients receive a $1,000 honorarium.
Beryl E. Satter, professor, Department of History, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Newark, was honored for her ability to analyze often overlooked primary historical sources to create engaging narratives that capture the richness of a particular period and shed new light on complex issues related to gender, race, and class.
Jay A. Tischfield, professor, Department of Genetics, School of Arts and Sciences, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, was honored for his research into the genetic mechanisms of human disease, which has contributed to an understanding of the stability of DNA sequences in somatic cells.
The Rutgers College Class of 1962 Presidential Public Service Award honors members of the faculty, student body, or staff for volunteer service to government, professional, and scholarly organizations, or the public. The award includes a $2,500 honorarium.
Engineers Without Borders-USA Rutgers University Student Chapter, was honored for their extensive contributions to public service, locally and globally, as demonstrated by its members’ deep interest in designing sustainable solutions to improve the lives of others. They provide access to basic human needs as demonstrated by the Guatemalan water pump project and the Thailand water filtration project. They embody the Rutgers’ slogan, “Jersey Roots, Global Reach.”
The Rutgers Faculty Scholar-Teacher Award honors faculty members who have made outstanding contributions in research and teaching. The award recognizes those who bring together scholarly and classroom activities. The award includes a $1,000 honorarium.
Nancy A. Hewitt, Departments of History and Women’s and Gender Studies, School of Arts and Sciences, was honored as a leading feminist scholar who has been instrumental in integrating gender, race and class into the study of history and instilling in her students the value of intellectual rigor and the importance of viewing history from a larger perspective.
Kim S. McKim, Department of Genetics, School of Arts and Sciences, Waksman Institute of Microbiology, was honored for his original and innovative research into the genetic and molecular events that control meiotic recombination and the chromosome segregation in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and for his ability to explain complex genetic concepts that help students learn.
Charlotte N. Markey, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Camden, was honored for her significant contributions to the health, psychological well-being and development of adolescents and young adults and for her extraordinary ability to engage students in activities that allow them to understand their life and the lives of others.
Roy D. Yates, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, was honored for his contributions to the development of efficient wireless networks, including his influential work on “power control,” his ability to challenge and motivate students, his legendary mentoring and his highly praised textbook.
The Ernest E. McMahon-Class of 1930 Award is funded by the Class of 1930 of Rutgers College and is given to an individual or a group that has made a significant and creative contribution to the extension of the educational resources of the university to the people of New Jersey. The award includes a $1,000 honorarium.
Paula B. Voos, professor and director of credit programs, Labor and Employee Relations, of School of Management and Labor Relations, was honored for her continuous efforts to extend educational opportunities to non-traditional students, expanding access to the university, instituting weekend, online and off-campus classes and for developing a Bachelor of Science degree available to both off-campus and on-traditional campus based students.
The Rutgers Board of Trustees Research Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence honors faculty members who have recently been promoted with tenure and whose work shows exceptional promise. The fellowship includes a citation and a $2,000 research account.
Kay D. Bidle, associate professor, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, was honored for his contributions to the research of microbial ecology, particularly in the area of programmed cell death and the mortality of biological oceanography on phytoplankton.
Stacy A. Bonos, associate professor, Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, was honored for her innovative contributions to the turf grass breeding program and for improving the stress and pest tolerance and environmental sustainability of cool season turf grass.
Lauren P. Grodstein, associate professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Camden, was honored for her powerful, creative writing and recognized as an important new contemporary voice in American fiction.
Tayari A. Jones, associate professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Newark, was honored for her intelligent and deeply moving creative writing and for exploring socially significant topics of urban life with grace, insight, and empathy.
Ying Fan Reinfelder, associate professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, was honored for her unique contributions to complex issues in hydrology and climate modeling and for her research on the interaction of the terrestrial water cycle and climate through physical, biological and geochemical pathways.