Accolades for April 14, 2008

April 14th, 2008 - Filed under: Accolades

Pate Receives Crimson Spirit Award

crimson_spirit08_23xEllen Pate, career consultant with the Career Center, was honored as recipient of the Crimson Spirit Award.

Chosen for this award for her ability to “pursue excellence” in every aspect of her job, Pate understands that it takes all employees to serve students effectively.

Since arriving at UA in 2005, this pursuit of excellence has assisted Pate in the creation of new and interactive programs designed to engage freshmen in the career process, and the development of a new career exploration program for siblings of orientation attendees. Additionally, she has served as the resident statistician gathering data to measure accomplishments toward goals, customer satisfaction and more.

Whether manning the midnight booth during the Week of Welcome or meeting with 700 freshmen, Pate motivates by example. Pate is described by her nominator as the one the entire staff knows they can call on, the first one to sign on to help, and the one to make every undertaking a successful project. Her Crimson Spirit adds value to the University.

The Crimson Spirit Award serves to recognize staff members who make an extraordinary contribution to the University community.

Todd Receives Hackney Leadership Award

080180_todd_beth_02xThe College of Engineering announced Dr. Beth Todd, associate professor of mechanical engineering, as the 2008 T. Morris Hackney Endowed Faculty Leadership award recipient.

The award honors a faculty member who exemplifies the constant guidance and leadership necessary to make the College of Engineering exceptional.

Todd began working at UA in 1992 as an assistant professor of engineering mechanics. She moved to mechanical engineering in 1996 and was promoted to associate professor in 2001.

She has served as mechanical engineering’s undergraduate program coordinator since 1998 and as the faculty adviser for UA’s student sections of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. She has been named the national outstanding section faculty advisor for both ASME and SWE. In addition, Todd was named an SWE Fellow in 2004, and served as the SWE National Conference co-chair in 2003.

Todd has been active in various areas of research and has been awarded numerous externally-funded research grants, including a National Science Foundation GK-12 initiative for more than $1.6 million in 2004. She recently received a second NSF grant for almost $3 million. In addition, Todd has more than 63 reviewed publications, more than 40 technical reports, and 25 conference presentations. In 1981, Todd received her bachelor’s degree in engineering science from the Pennsylvania State University.

She went on to receive her master’s degree in applied mechanics and doctoral degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia in 1986 and 1992, respectively. Pennsylvania State University named her an Engineering Science and Mechanics Centennial Fellow in 2006.

This award was created as a tribute to T. Morris Hackney, and was made possible by the contributions from Mr. John H. Josey and his son, Mr. Howard Josey.

Geography Professor Stalks the Ghost Bird

080350_steinberg_michael_08xHe thought he saw it in Florida as a child. He even sketched a drawing and wrote to the National Audubon Society. Although the society never responded, this would not be Dr. Michael Steinberg’s last experience with the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird surrounded in controversy. While many believe it to be extinct, a faithful few share tales of sightings in Steinberg’s new book, Stalking the Ghost Bird.

For two years in Baton Rouge, La., Steinberg explored sightings of the ivory-billed woodpecker. “It was just going to tell the stories of the human side of this bird,” he said. Steinberg spoke with people who claimed to have seen or heard the bird in Louisiana.

“The book is interview-intensive. One reason I was able to get stories of people who said they’d seen this bird was because I got to know them,” said Steinberg.

According to Steinberg, one of the most compelling sightings was from a public figure in the area who requested to remain anonymous. He was “someone who knows a lot about the outdoors, writes about the outdoors, whose opinion I respect a lot,” said Steinberg.

Though Steinberg does not claim to have seen the ivorybilled woodpecker since childhood, he did have a unique encounter right before Christmas of 2007 while on a volunteer search of Congaree National Park with the South Carolina Nature Conservancy.

“I didn’t see the bird, but I heard the call about four times,” said Steinberg.“I heard that and my heart stopped. Intellectually, I knew it was not something I’d heard before. I will swear it sounds as close as possible to the taped recording of an ivory-billed woodpecker.”

Though this anecdote did not occur in time to be included in Stalking the Ghost Bird, the book includes reported sightings from the 1950s until now.

“People interested in Southern environmental issues will find it interesting. Anyone interested in conserving wildlife will find it interesting,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg has been at UA since fall 2007. He teaches courses in New College, the department of geography, and the Blount Undergraduate Initiative. He also serves as the curator of ornithology for the Alabama Museum of Natural History. Stalking the Ghost Bird is Steinberg’s first singleauthored book.

UA Student Takes Top Theater Honor; Faculty Member Receives Award

adkinsthomas06_004x1A UA faculty member and a group of 12 students from the department of theatre and dance received awards at the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Thomas Adkins, UA director of the theatre management program for the department of theatre and dance, received the Outstanding Teaching Artist for Arts Administration award. UA senior Jackie Hadwin of Madison received the Alcone Makeup Award, the top honor, for her designs in UA’s fall production of The Miss Firecracker Contest.

The regional competition was held at Clemson University, and this marks the third year in a row that a student from UA has won the Alcone honor.

On April 8, winners from each of the eight regions represented in the KCACTF, including Hadwin, will travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to attend the national festival. There, they will participate in workshops and present their work at the event.

Family Medicine Residents Perform Well on National Exam

Participants in UA’s family-medicine residency program in the College of Community Health Sciences pulled down some outstanding results in the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) In-Training Exam.

Family-medicine residents take the annual exam in preparation for their Family Medicine Board Exam when they finish the program.

The program currently has 35 residents. In November 2007, they had the following performances on the ABFM intraining exam:

  • Six residents scored in the top 10 percent of the nation.
  • 11 residents scored in the top 25 percent of the nation.
  • 21 residents scored above 50 percent nationally.

The College of Community Health Sciences operates University Medical Center, a comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical clinic, where College faculty members conduct their medical practices and where students and residents receive clinical experience and training. The College’s research component supports faculty and student research efforts, including clinical trials.

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