Awards and Recognition

The Research and Innovation Office and the Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation Center have announced the 2024 recipients of the Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Seed Grants. Six projects received a total of $795,392 in funding over the next two years. Among the awardees, five colleges/units and two campuses (Twin Cities and Duluth) were represented. Projects focus on using biotechnology and biomanufacturing to develop solutions related to environmental sustainability and climate change as well as using Minnesota-based resources to expand a regional bio-economy. 

The Aging Life Care Association has named Joseph Gaugler as the 2024 Distinguished Ambassador in Aging Award recipient. The award is given to an individual or organization that has raised national awareness of a critical issue or need in aging. Gaugler is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Robert L. Kane Endowed Chair in Long-Term Care & Aging at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, as well as the director of the Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation. His research examines the sources and effectiveness of long-term care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic conditions.

Kate Schaefers and Rajean Moone spoke with MPR News about how the tight labor market is impacting ageism in the workplace; Kristen Mark is quoted in a CNN story about the rise in permanent contraception for people 30 and under after the Dobbs decision; Elaine Evans is quoted in the MPR News story “Study finds Minnesota state bee in tough shape;” Larry Jacobs is quoted in the Minnesota Reformer about how the Israel-Hamas war has set progressive and young voters on collision course with White House; Karen Ashe is quoted in the Minnesota Daily story “UMN’s Alzheimer’s Ashe Research Lab post-fabrication claims;” Matthew Anderson is quoted in the Star Tribune about how to save money at the pharmacy counter; George Veletsianos writes in The Conversation about five questions schools and universities should ask before they purchase AI tech products; David Schultz is quoted in the Sahan Journal about the first defendants in the Feeding Our Future food-aid fraud going on trial; Jenny Liu is quoted in the New York Times story "Straws That Don’t Cause Wrinkles. Wait — Straws Cause Wrinkles?;" Valérie Bélair-Gagnon is quoted in the Star Tribune story "Major in English, minor in social media? Colleges add more formal studies of online social networks." 

The recipients of the 2024 Distinguished McKnight University Professor Award have been announced. The Distinguished McKnight University Professorship program recognizes outstanding faculty members who have recently achieved full professor status. The award is designed to advance the careers of mid-career faculty members who are making significant contributions to their departments and to their scholarly fields. 

• David R Boulware, Medicine (Infectious Diseases and International Medicine), Medical School
• Peter Bruggeman, Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering
• Paul Dauenhauer, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, College of Science and Engineering
• Joshua M. Feinberg, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering
• Jasmine Foo, Mathematics, College of Science and Engineering
• Jason D. Hill, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
• R. Stephanie Huang, Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy
• Ronald R. Krebs, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Nathan Kuncel, Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Chad L. Myers, Computer Science and Engineering, College of Science and Engineering
• Eric W. Seabloom, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
• Changquan Calvin Sun, Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy

School of Public Health (SPH) Assistant Professor Dana Carroll has received the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s (SRNT) Jarvik-Russell New Investigator Award, which recognizes early-career scientists and SRNT members who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of nicotine and tobacco research. Carroll’s research focuses on addressing commercial tobacco use disparities, particularly among American Indian populations. Carroll has received widespread recognition for her research efforts, including a White House brief in 2023 highlighting her contributions to co-creating smoking cessation resources for American Indian persons as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Cancer Moonshot Agenda to end cancer.

The U.S. Department of State recently presented the University of Minnesota with the English Language Specialist Top Producing Institution Award during the 2024 TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) International Convention. The award was presented to the University of Minnesota for sending the largest number of English Language Specialists selected for the 2023 calendar year and advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives and educational exchange.

Three educators at the University of Minnesota were selected as specialists in 2023:

• Martha Bigelow - College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
• Stephanie Hansen - College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS)
• Catherine Clements - senior teaching specialist with MELP, CCAPS; PhD candidate, CEHD

Stephanie Hooker is quoted in an MPR News story about the loneliness epidemic and how we can build connections; Jeff Ettinger and Kathy Schmidlkofer are quoted in the Twin Cities Business story “The MIX to Make its Mark on Stadium Village; Jill Hasday is quoted in a New York Times story about a potential change in a New York adultery law; Yi-Mei Yang is quoted in the WIRED story “Scientists are unlocking the secrets of your ‘little brain';” Aiden Bettine is interviewed at MPR News about a new exhibit showcasing letters that the LGBTQ+ community used to connect from 1950s to today; Angie Fertig is quoted in a Minnpost story about the rising wealth gap in Minnesota; Bill Doherty is interviewed in an MPR News story about the roots of political polarization; William Northrop is interviewed at CBS Minnesota about a Minnesota logistics company testing electric semis; Amy Rager is quoted at Inforum about what to keep in mind if you go foraging.

After a highly competitive and rigorous process, the National Cancer Institute has renewed its designation of the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center (MCC) as an “Outstanding” comprehensive cancer center, providing MCC a total of $20.4 million over the next five years. This is the sixth consecutive designation awarded to MCC. In its renewal notice, the NCI cited MCC for its role in streamlining high-impact clinical trials while also deepening important community partnerships throughout Minnesota.

Four University of Minnesota faculty were recently inducted into the National Academies of Practice (NAP). The honor acknowledges their outstanding achievements and recognizes them as leaders in their professions. The following Class of 2024 honorees were welcomed into the NAP at an awards and induction ceremony on March 16:

• Bradley Benson, professor, Medical School
• Sherry Chesak, clinical professor, School of Nursing
• Dorcas Kunkel, clinical associate professor, School of Nursing
• Sara North, associate professor, Medical School

University of Minnesota Morris English professor Michael Lackey is one of five scholars from across the United States to be invited to lecture and work at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz as part of the Obama Fellowship program. Through the program, the Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies invites outstanding international scholars to lecture and work at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Lackey will present a lecture for graduate students: “Moses Biofictions as Critiques of Nazism: Zora Neale Hurston and Thomas Mann,” at the Obama Institute on May 13. Lackey will also spend a month at the institute to continue his research on anti-Nazi biofictions from the 1930s and 1940s. Learn more about Lackey’s work.