search articles:     from the issue of September 7, 2006         Awards and Honors • UNL agronomists Ken Cassman and Charles Francis, both professors in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, were named fellows in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of Science magazine, in November. Cassman and Francis were among 16 people in AAAS's agriculture, food and renewable resources section and 376 members overall to be named fellows in 2005. • Civil engineering professor Andrzej Nowak received the Medal Politechniki Warszawskiej, the most prestigious award given by the Warsaw University of Technology, Poland's top engineering school and Nowak's alma mater, in February. Nowak studies the reliability of structures and conducts risk analysis for bridges and buildings. • Marshall Olds, professor of French, was decorated Sept. 29 as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Republic of France. Olds was recognized for his scholarship in French studies, his editorship of the journal Nineteenth-Century French Studies and for the study-abroad program he developed for UNL students at the University of Franche-Compte in Besancon, France. • Xiao Cheng Zeng, professor of chemistry, was named a fellow of the American Physical Society in early 2006. Election to the fellowship is limited to no more than one-half of 1 percent of the society's membership. Zeng was cited for his original contributions to the study of vapor-liquid nucleation and discoveries of novel nanostructures of two-dimensional ice, one-dimensional ice nanotubes, ground-state silicon clusters and single-walled silicon nanotubes. • Judy Walker, associate professor of mathematics, received the Mathematical Association of America's Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics in January. • Shashi Verma, professor of natural resource sciences, received the 2006 award for Outstanding Achievement in Biometeorology from the American Meteorological Society on Feb. 1. Verma was honored for "pioneering research that revolutionized the measurement of carbon dioxide, methane, water and energy exchange between plants and the atmosphere and for outstanding mentoring and leadership," according to his award presentation. • Stephen Behrendt, professor of English, was presented the Keats-Shelley Association of America's 2005 Distinguished Scholar Award at the annual international meeting of the Modern Language Association of America, Dec. 27-30 in Washington, D.C. • Alan Tomkins, director of the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, served as one of two William Jefferson Clinton distinguished fellows at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service during the 2005-06 school year. Tomkins helped the Clinton School faculty and 16 students work toward a master of public service degree identify and develop projects in Arkansas and throughout the Delta region. The projects address issues that President Clinton defined as cornerstones in his Presidential Foundation. • Dawn Braithwaite, professor of communication studies, was selected for the 2006 Brommel Award for Family Communication from the National Communication Association. The award was given at a ceremony at the NCA conference in November. • Janet Harkness, chair in survey science at UNL's Gallup Research Center, was named a Descartes laureate by the European Union in April. The Descartes Prize is the European Union's premier award for excellence in collaborative research. • Carole Levin, professor of history, was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., during the 2006-07 academic year. Levin will work on her new book project, "Dreaming the English Renaissance: Politics and Desires in Court and Culture." • Bob Shearman, a professor of agronomy and horticulture, received the 2006 United States Golf Association Green Section Award in February. The annual award recognizes contributions to golf through work with turfgrass. Shearman was the university's first turf scientist when he joined the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty in 1975. GO TO: ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 7 NEWS HEADLINES FOR SEPTEMBER 7 Year in Review 15 proposals for teaching, learning excellence funded Air Force ROTC sweeps national honors Awards and Honors Beef scholars program begins Big Event draws more than 1,000 campus volunteers BIT Mobile rolls across Nebraska Buffett, Gates visit campus Cassman directs energy center Chemist creates synthetic bone Circle of Nations hosted by UNL Civil Rights marcher gives keynote address in MLK observance Combined campaign raises $331,994 Committees lay foundation for general education reform Core Values: Achievement Core Values: Diversity Core Values: Engagement Core Values: Excellence Core Values: Learning Core Values: Research and Creative Activity Core Values: Stewardship Eight students chalk awards Energy research partners UNL scientists, public power Engineering opens 2006 with new lab Excellence in Brief Faculty earn top teaching, research honors Fall semester opens with LGBTQ minor Five faculty members earn Fulbright honors Four record CAREER grants Franco takes student affairs helm Ginsburg tenders two UNL lectures Hurricane Briefs Journalism issues two depth reports Learning community builds on Thompson Forum speakers Libraries expand Cather collections NaBRO lands 5-year Korean bridge project Natural Resources moves to Hardin Hall NU Directions hailed as model program Partnership aims at commercialized cholesterol fighter Program aimed at next generation of researchers Program cards a first Psych symposium examines lesbian, gay, bisexual identities Research funding tops $100 million milestone Research on campus Retention drive launched Robots participate in 18-day mission Sheldon revives tradition Theatre Arts honors Carson Three new majors offered to students Transportation Center earns grant University takes new tack in accreditation UNL aids $5M wheat effort UNL among top 50 colleges UNL, Grand Island students celebrate college opportunity UNL students approve new culture center UNL updates online image Weisz helps shape court's handling of abused and neglected children Year in Review issue can be downloaded in pdf format 732561S36123X