People

Young faculty honored with science grants

Aaron Bradley	Robert McLeod
Li Shang	Sriram Sankaranarayanan
Rebecca Flowers	Hang (Hubert) Yin

Six University of Colorado at Boulder faculty have been selected to receive National Science Foundation CAREER Awards.

Aaron Bradley, Robert McLeod, and Li Shang in the department of electrical, computer and energy engineering were selected to receive awards, along with Sriram Sankaranarayanan of computer science, Rebecca Flowers of geological sciences, and Hang (Hubert) Yin in the department of chemistry and biochemistry.

All are assistant professors. McLeod joined the CU-Boulder faculty in 2003, Flowers and Yin in 2007, Bradley and Shang in 2008 and Sankaranarayanan in 2009.

The NSF's Faculty Early Career Development Program, or CAREER, is one of the nation's most prestigious honors directed toward young faculty. The 2010 awards, which come with a five-year grant ranging from $400,000 to $530,000, help to establish integrated research and educational activities while addressing areas of important need.

Bradley's award is aimed at developing a new model-checking technique for analyzing the properties of computational systems to achieve increased performance on multi-core and networked computers.

Flowers' research will use recent advances in thermochronological tools to investigate what is causing the uplift and erosion of the southern African Plateau, a large and elevated region of the continent's interior.

McLeod's research is focused on developing new fabrication techniques for next-generation electronic chips by breaking the existing limits on minimum feature size in optical lithography.

Sankaranarayanan is investigating automatic verification techniques for finding defects or bugs in embedded computer systems that monitor and control physical processes, such as are increasingly common in automobiles, avionics, medical devices and power-distribution systems.

Shang is investigating new communication technologies and system designs for emerging "many-core" computer systems, which have been the key performance bottleneck in massive-parallel computer systems.

Yin will use his award to advance the integrative chemical biology program at CU-Boulder by focusing on cutting-edge technologies to advance understanding of molecular recognition in cell membranes.

Boulder Faculty Assembly names excellence award winners

Twelve University of Colorado at Boulder faculty members have received the 2010 Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence Awards.

The honors, which include a $3,000 cash prize, are awarded to individuals in three areas: teaching, service, and research and scholarly work.

Winners in the excellence in teaching category, which focuses on classroom teaching, are Janet de Grazia, chemical and biological engineering; Nicholas Schneider, astrophysical and planetary sciences and Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics; David Barnett, philosophy; and Mary Nelson, applied mathematics.

Faculty service is defined as professional activities other than teaching and research performed as regular responsibilities or community outreach. Such activities may include committee work, faculty governance, student advising, service in state or national professional organization, and volunteer work in public and nonprofit organizations.

Winners in the faculty service category are Lisa Barlow, Baker environmental residential academic program; Martin Bickman, English and service learning; Christopher Braider, French and Italian, and Anne Dougherty, applied mathematics.

Excellence in research, scholarly and creative work awardees are Takacs Quartet (Edward Dusinberre, Andras Fejer, Karoly Schranz, and Geraldine Walther), music; Frances Bagenal, astrophysical and planetary sciences; Thomas Johnson, integrative physiology and institute for behavioral genetics; Martha Palmer, linguistics, Institute of Cognitive Science, and computer science. These awards are given for high-quality work that does not receive recognition through usual channels, such as interdisciplinary research, work accomplished with undergraduates or integrated long-term achievements.

The Boulder Faculty Assembly is the representative body of faculty on the Boulder campus and sets academic policy and advises the administration.

Dropping names ...

Carole Schoffstall

Joaquin Espinosa

Lois Brink

Cindy Gutierrez

Barbara Dray

Carole Schoffstall, dean emeriti of the Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, was named a finalist for regional 2010 Florence Nightingale Academy of Nursing Award. She will compete in statewide award process in May. Schoffstall, who was integral in facilitating the merger of Beth-El and the university in 1997, served as dean until her retirement in August 2008. ... Joaquin Espinosa, an assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has been named co-leader of the molecular oncology program at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Espinosa has been a member of the center since 2005. ... Lois Brink, professor of landscape architecture and associate director of the Colorado Center for Community Development at the University of Colorado Denver, has been appointed to the Living City Block advisory board. Living City Block is a new project in Denver's LoDo aimed at demonstrating the potential of combining environmentally conscious business and economic development with revitalization and livability. ... Cindy Gutierrez, director of teacher education at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver, recently published an article about online community as a pathway to teacher leadership in the Journal of Staff Development. The article highlights the development and implementation of the Online Clinical Teacher Professional Development Unit in Denver Public Schools. ... Barbara Dray, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Education and Human Development, recently published the article "Teaching is NOT a Profession: How General and Special Education Teacher Education Have Failed." The piece details recommendations to improve teacher education in special education through strong teacher induction and apprenticeships, developing national certification to increase the prestige of the field, and closing the research-to-practice gap.  ... Dave Martinez, a staff member at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Journalism and Mass Communications, is a 2010 recipient of the Marinus

Smith Award from the CU Parents Association. The award recognizes CU-Boulder faculty, staff, coaches and administrators who have made a significant impact on the lives of CU undergraduate students. Nominations are made by CU students and their parents involved in the Parents Association. Martinez will be honored during an April 3 luncheon.

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