Awards and Recognition

The University of Minnesota is part of a transformative $360 million grant over the next five years from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The U of M will be a valuable partner in translating water research to improve water management through the award’s establishment of the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology, or CIROH, a national consortium of science and services to provide actionable water resources intelligence. Headquartered at University of Alabama’s Alabama Water Institute, CIROH consists of 28 academic institutions, nonprofits, and government and industry partners across the United States and Canada.

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is interviewed by KSTP-TV about possible war crimes in Ukraine; Jeffrey Miller is quoted in Science magazine about a synthetic antibody–immune cell complex that dramatically shrinks blood tumors; Aaron Sojourner is quoted in the New York Times about why economists are worrying about a recession in the midst of a booming economy; Morris Kleiner is quoted in the Bloomberg story, “Suddenly Short of Workers, U.S. Is Forced to Rethink Job Credentials”; Lindsay Whalen is mentioned in the New York Times story, “Minnesota, a Mecca of Women’s Basketball, Is Having Its Moment”; Elaine Evans is quoted in a Bring Me the News story about when to clean up yard waste (not quite yet); Marla Spivak is quoted in Science about scientists who are breeding honey bees to fight a deadly parasite; Elliott Powell is quoted in the New York Times about how WCCO found old footage of a very young Prince; Thomas Gable is quoted in Newsweek about a day in the life of a Minnesota wolf; Stacy Pollock, Dawn Hennen, Jerry Torrison, and Saad Gharaibeh are quoted in a Duluth News Tribune story about a Minnesota lab playing a key role in tracking bird flu; Joe Magner is quoted in a Star Tribune story about a tribe that is continuing to challenge the Line 3 pipeline.

The U of M has received two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, totalling more than $6.5 million, to research cardiovascular health among a diverse population of children. Led by Jerica Berge, a professor of family medicine and community health at the U of M Medical School, the grants will fund an interdisciplinary study with the Medical School, School of Public Health, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and the Minnesota Population Center.

The Vickie R. Courtney Award for Outstanding Service to University Senate Governance recognizes faculty, academic professional and administrative staff, civil service staff, and students systemwide who have made a significant impact on University Senate governance, have demonstrated a commitment to collaboration in University Senate governance, and have served as an inspiration to others. Recipients will be formally recognized at the Apr. 21 University Senate meeting.

2022 recipients of the Vickie R. Courtney Award for Outstanding Service to University Senate Governance:

• Missy Juliette, finance professional II, College of Liberal Arts
• Amy Pittenger, professor and head, Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, College of Pharmacy

Matthew Aliota is quoted in an ABC News story about animals as the latest frontier in the COVID fight; Akshay Rao is quoted in the CNN story, “How Tony the Tiger, Pillsbury Doughboy and Michelin Man became cultural icons”; Ann Masten is quoted in The Nation's Health about how to bounce back when times are tough; Gülin Öz is interviewed at Minnesota Public Radio about what the science says so far on how COVID-19 affects our brains; Steven Ruggles is quoted in a New York Times story about the nuclear family no longer being the norm; Peter Neff is quoted in Bloomberg about an alarming heat wave in Antarctica; Gopalan Nadathur is mentioned in The Nation regarding faculty fighting to defend academic freedom; David Boulware is quoted in Newsweek coverage of a study showing Ivermectin is not effective against COVID; Kari Schneider is interviewed in the KARE 11 story, “How to help a choking child”; Craig Packer and Sarah Heilbronner are quoted in Newsweek about the effect of oxytocin on lions. 

The Graduate School has announced the 2022-23 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellows. The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship (IDF) provides a unique opportunity for outstanding PhD students who are engaged in interdisciplinary research to study with faculty at one of the University’s interdisciplinary research centers or institutes during the fellowship year.

Montse Torremorell is the 2022 recipient of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ (AASV) Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year award. Newly established and presented for the first time this year, the award is given to an AASV member employed in academia who has demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and service to the swine veterinary profession. Torremorell joined the University of Minnesota as the Leman Chair in Swine Health and Productivity in May 2009. She is currently professor and interim chair of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine.

Beth Thielen is quoted in a CNN News story about a Hong Kong study finding that BA.2 is more severe for children; Peter Neff is quoted in The Guardian regarding the collapse of the entire Conger ice shelf in Antarctica; Josh Fergen is interviewed at NPR for a story about misinformation derailing renewable energy projects across the United States; Gunda Georg is quoted in a New York Times story about research into a male birth control pill; Edward Goetz is quoted in CBS 4 Minnesota regarding a $13.5 million donation to Twin Cities Habitat For Humanity; Nic Rider and Amy Gower are quoted in a CNN story about trans youth’s health; Jay Austin, Cody Sheik, and Bob Sterner are quoted in a Mpls. St. Paul Magazine about Lake Superior’s warming waters; Alfred Marcus is interviewed in this MPR News story about creative older workers shining in their careers; Ted Ozersky comments in the Duluth News Tribune on life found below Lake Superior ice this winter.

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. 

• Marc F. Bellemare, Applied Economics, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, Twin Cities
• Elizabeth Borer, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
• Julie R. Etterson, Biology, Swenson College of Science and Engineering, Duluth
• Chris H. Kim, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Twin Cities
• Alan C. Love, Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts, Twin Cities
• R. Lee Penn, Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering, Twin Cities
• Claudia Scarlata, Physics and Astronomy, College of Science and Engineering, Twin Cities
• Irina Stepanov, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Twin Cities
   

Learn more about the Distinguished McKnight University Professorship recipients. 

Professor and Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Rebecca Ropers has been named among 46 emerging college and university leaders for the 2022-23 class of the ACE Fellows Program, the longest-running leadership development program in the United States. Since its inception in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program has strengthened institutions in American higher education by identifying and preparing about 2,500 faculty, staff, and administrators for senior positions in college and university leadership.