Awards and Recognition

The University of Minnesota has been recognized as a Forbes Best Employer for Women 2023. To identify the top-rated 400 companies, Forbes conducted an independent survey of 60,000 employees in the U.S. working for U.S. companies with at least 1,000 employees.

The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and fellow Data Curation Network members, Duke University and Washington University in St. Louis, a $741,921 National Leadership Grant to continue research on institutional expenses for public access to research data.

Kamakshi Lakshminarayan is quoted in USA Today about a study showing that some popular heartburn medicines increase dementia risk by 33 percent; Cesar Corzo is quoted in the Vox story, “A new investigation exposes the stomach-churning practice that goes into making your bacon”; Heidi Roop is quoted in a CBS Minnesota about Climate change being front and center as Canadian wildfires keep on burning; Michael Boland is quoted in the Star Tribune about the potential for grocery prices to fall next year; Bill Lindeke is interviewed in the Racket story, “What’s the Deal With St. Paul?”; Brian Steffen and Lyn Steffen are quoted in CBS Minnesota’s “20-year-long U study shows link between artificial sweeteners, increased body fat”; Jill Foster is quoted in Axios about the U.S. lacking COVID resources as cases tick up again; Greg Lindsey is quoted in a Minnesota Daily story about a rebate for purchasing e-bikes in Minnesota; Rolf Webert and Jeff Jackson are quoted in a Star Tribune story about a new tree created at the U of M Duluth; David Aiona Chang is quoted in the Washington Post about how destroyed Lahaina was once the Hawaiian kingdom's capital and global trade hub; Bill Doherty is quoted in the Minnesota Public Radio story, “More people are saying 'knot yet' and waiting to marry later in life.”

University of Minnesota Twin Cities Professor Svitlana Mayboroda has been named the 2023 Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering. She is the first University of Minnesota faculty member to receive the award. Mayboroda will receive a $250,000 prize, the largest unrestricted scientific award for America’s most innovative, young faculty-ranked scientists and engineers. She will also receive a medal at the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists Ceremony in September.

Mayboroda is a McKnight Presidential and Northrop Professor in the University of Minnesota School of Mathematics. Her research focuses broadly on analysis and partial differential equations, particularly on the behavior of waves in complex media.

Professor Bharat Jalan has received the Schieber Prize from the International Organization of Crystal Growth. The award is given to one researcher worldwide every three years to recognize their outstanding contributions to the field of crystal growth. Jalan, who holds the Shell Chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, received the award in recognition of his “innovative work and scientific leadership in the field of crystalline oxide film and heterostructure synthesis and properties, particularly the development of a powerful method known as hybrid molecular beam epitaxy, an important and impactful epitaxial growth technique with extraordinary capabilities and diverse applications.”

Alik Widge is featured in a Minnpost story about a new tool to detect early signs of serious mental illness; Daniel Schwarcz is quoted in the ABC News story about how Florida's insurance crisis is haunting Ron DeSantis' campaign; Jim Cotter is quoted in the MPR News story, “Climate change gives our era its own name: Anthropocene”; Cathy Kotz is quoted in the Minnesota Public Radio story, “There's a way to get healthier without even going to a gym. It's called NEAT”; Tim Johnson is quoted in a USA Today story about how antibiotic resistance poses an existential threat for modern medicine; Vanessa Humphreville is quoted in a CBS Minnesota story about a man who took his search for second kidney donor to social media; Jessica Nielson is quoted in a WCCO story about Minneapolis telling law enforcement to deprioritize investigating and arresting people for the use of psychoactive plants; Abigail Johnson is quoted in a Newsweek story about an analysis of 200 plant-based milks and how they compare to cow’s milk; Kristi White is quoted in an MPR story about how extreme heat impacts our mental health; William Robiner is quoted in the Star Tribune about the pandemic's long shadow over the mental health of Minnesotans—especially youth; Nicole LaVoi is quoted in an ABC News story about Women's World Cup stars who honed their skills with U.S. collegiate teams; Jennifer Schmitt is interviewed in a CBS Minnesota story showing that 62 percent of food thrown out by Minnesotans could be eaten or at least donated.

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has awarded approximately $3.2 million to 19 projects as part of the 2023 Research Infrastructure Investment Program. This program awards funding to projects supporting transdisciplinary research and collaboration across the University of Minnesota’s colleges and campuses. The $3.2 million will support 19 projects across 23 departments, units, and centers at 10 colleges on two campuses. Supporting colleges or centers provided one-to-one matching funds for each award, resulting in just over $6.4 million in total funds awarded. 

The all-University Award for Global Engagement is given to faculty and staff members in recognition of outstanding contributions to global education and international programs at the University or in their field or discipline.

2023 recipients of the award
 

• Tasoulla Hadjiyanni, professor of interior design, College of Design
• June Nobbe, assistant vice provost for student life, Office for Student Affairs
• Jennifer Powers; professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior, and plant and microbial biology; College of Biological Sciences

With funding from the Public Health Accreditation Board, researchers will conduct the first analysis of the nation’s public health workforce since 2014. The Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health, led by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, has been awarded $4.2 million to evaluate the nation’s public health workforce and public health data systems over the next five years. The funding was awarded to SPH by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). As the sole national accrediting body for public health in the U.S., PHAB supports health departments to improve quality, accountability, and performance.

Saara DeWalt has been named as the next dean of the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences (CBS), effective Aug. 31. DeWalt comes to the University from Clemson University, where she is a tenured professor and chair of biological sciences. As CBS dean, she will be the college’s chief executive and chief academic officer. She will provide collaborative leadership to maintain and enhance the college’s preeminence in education, research, and public engagement.

DeWalt brings to the University of Minnesota extensive experience as an academic leader, educator, and researcher. A faculty member at Clemson since 2005, she has served in leadership and service roles in graduate education, faculty development, and university-wide strategic planning. As chair of biological sciences, she leads one of Clemson’s largest academic departments, overseeing a broad portfolio of interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate educational programs, research, and outreach activities.