The Graduate School–New Brunswick honored two faculty members, 12 students, and four staff members for their contributions to the university at its spring awards ceremony. The awards – the Excellence in Teaching Award, the Excellence in Administration Award, the Dean's Award for Excellence in Research by a Graduate Student, and the Dissertation Teaching Award – are presented to outstanding students, faculty, and staff members annually. The 2006-2007 awards reception was held at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum April 26.
For Excellence in Teaching
Mary Hawkesworth, professor of women’s and gender studies, was honored for classroom teaching, excellent mentoring, and establishing the doctoral program in women’s and gender studies as well as creating two of its core courses.
Barbara Ryder, professor of computer science, was praised as a classroom teacher and as a mentor. She also has been prominent in supporting women in the still overwhelmingly male field of computer science and is co-principal investigator on a National Science Foundation grant to develop web materials and teaching workshops.
For Excellence in Administration
Carolyn Ambrose and Diane Murano, administrative assistants for the molecular biosciences programs, were honored for how well they run three degree programs and the joint admissions and recruitment process for all the molecular biosciences of both Rutgers and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Ambrose and Murano developed both the admissions and program databases and created a website that details the activities of a very large faculty membership.
Eileen Faherty and Cheryl Robinson administrative assistants in the literatures in English program, were honored for their attention to detail, intense dedication, and generosity. Faherty, who is retiring this year, is famous for her candy table.
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
For undergraduate teaching
- Florette Cohen (psychology)
- Shannon Galbraith Kent (ecology and evolution)
For Excellence in Research
- Esteban Gazel Dondi (geological sciences)
- Craig Fennie (physics and astronomy)
- Jennifer Adams Krumins (ecology and evolution)
- Danielle McGuire (history)
- Alexander L. Strehl (computer science)
- Robyn Sysko (psychology)
Dissertation Teaching Awards
- Dillon Mahoney (anthropology)
- Estelle Mayhew (psychology)
- Benjamin Neimark (geography)
- Paul Yeoh (literatures in English)