Awards and Recognition

An analysis of citations by Clarivate Analytics shows nearly two dozen U of M faculty are among the most influential researchers in their fields. Twenty-two U of M researchers are named in the 2020 Highly Cited Researchers list, published by insight and analytics firm Clarivate Analytics. The international list recognizes researchers who published multiple highly cited papers during the last decade, and whose citation records place them in the top 1 percent of citation counts for field and publication year according to Clarivate’s Web of Science citation index.

The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) has named the University of Minnesota School of Nursing the academic recipient of the 2021 Healthy Work Environment Award. Sigma’s Healthy Work Environment Awards recognize and honor clinical facilities and academic settings that have demonstrated commitment in promoting a healthy work environment and have demonstrated excellence in health care outcomes.

This past summer, the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs launched its new aligned rural health initiative. To support the rural health efforts, Bridget Basile Ibrahim has been named the first recipient of the Rural Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Kathy Draeger is quoted in a MinnPost story about how Minnesota's small town grocers are adapting to a changing world; Marc Jenkins was interviewed by the Star Tribune about a new test by a Minnesota biotech firm that can read COVID antibody levels; Eric Ostermeier is quoted in a Bloomberg story about the high stakes for the Biden agenda in the Georgia Senate runoffs; Joseph Gaugler is interviewed in Minnesota Public Radio story about how to stay connected during a lonely pandemic; Donn Branstrator is quoted in National Geographic about a ferocious water flea that is mauling the Great Lakes; Rose Marie Leslie is featured in a CBS Local story about the impact of her viral TikTok videos; Rachel Widome is quoted in a New York Times story about how 700 epidemiologists are living now, and what they think is next; Ryan Kelly is quoted in a Star Tribune story about overdose deaths in Minnesota spiking 30 percent in the first half of 2020. 
 

Electric scooters let riders move quickly between the roadway and the sidewalk, but these sometimes-unpredictable travel patterns can pose risk for riders and the people around them. Making scooters smarter is the goal of a new U of M research project funded by the National Research Foundation. Under the $1.2 million grant, a cross-disciplinary team will study smart tracking systems on scooters for ensuring safe and smooth interaction with other vehicles and pedestrians.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and partners at the University of Minnesota engage farmers and agriculture businesses in marketing their products more effectively both locally and regionally. The USDA’s Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program awarded the MDA $235,169 to develop a roadmap for strengthening statewide support for small- and medium-sized agricultural producers in Minnesota, one of only six such grants awarded nationally this year. The project will engage producers in direct-to-consumer sales, like farmers markets, U-Pick, and CSAs, as well as those engaged in wholesale markets, such as selling to schools, grocery stores, restaurants, and through distributors. The MDA and U of M will match the award, providing a total of more than $474,000 for the three-year project.

Dean and Professor Laura Bloomberg has announced that she will step down as dean of the Humphrey School in June 2021. In the coming weeks, the U of M will launch a national search for a new dean to build on Dean Bloomberg’s leadership and continue to advance the Humphrey School as one of the country’s most innovative, engaged, and highly regarded professional schools of public policy and planning. Since becoming dean in 2017, and immediately prior as associate dean for four years, Bloomberg has further advanced the excellence of the school as among the country’s top 10 professional public policy and planning schools.

Associate Professor Rachel Hardeman was honored for her ground-breaking work in drawing attention to systemic racism in healthcare and her commitment to reproductive healthcare for all people. Hardeman was honored with the Courage Award presented by Planned Parenthood—North Central States during its virtual celebration on Oct. 26. The Courage Award is given to a person or group of people who boldly advance the values of Planned Parenthood’s mission.

The MARRCH Awards of Excellence recognizes individuals and organizations working to build and strengthen the Minnesota behavioral health continuum of care, enhance access to treatment, and support our communities through leadership and education. Julie Rohovit, executive director and director of training for the Center for Practice Transformation, has been awarded the 2020 MARRCH Innovator Award of Excellence for Excellence in Program Innovation, which is the first time MARRCH has awarded innovators in such a way, for her visionary contributions to our workforce and our field as a whole. The MARRCH Board specifically identified her development of the University of Minnesota’s Integrated Behavioral Health Master’s program, her leadership in integrated training, her mentorship of emerging and well-established clinicians, and her leadership at the Center for Practice Transformation.

Barbara Kappler is quoted in an Associated Press story about the pandemic and presidential policies leading to a steep drop in foreign college students; Michael Osterholm was quoted in multiple news sources, including the Los Angeles Times, about how delaying the transition of power to the Biden team will hurt the COVID fight; Rachel Hardeman is interviewed on National Public Radio about how police violence impacts the health of black infants; David Boulware is quoted in the Wired story, “The Strange and Twisted Tale of Hydroxychloroquine”; George John was interviewed by CBS Local about what the holiday shopping season will look like; Prentiss Cox is quoted at CNBC about what a Biden presidency may mean for consumer protections; Kate Adamala is quoted in the BBC story, “Charles Darwin's hunch about early life was probably right”; Christopher Uggen is quoted in the MSR News story, “17,000 Minnesotans of color barred from voting”; Stephanie Carlson is quoted at Parents.com about six little things you can teach your toddler to make them a better teen; Theresa Glomb was interviewed by MPR News about the future of working from home; Tim Lindberg (Morris campus) was quoted in the New York Times regarding Rep. Collin Peterson's defeat by Michelle Fischbach; Brooke Cunningham and Rachel Hardeman are quoted in a KHN story about how to spot racism in health care.