College of Sciences E-newsletter
September 2005
In this issue:
- Your College E-Newsletter
- Welcome Back!
- New College of Sciences Newsletter
- UNLV Fusion Magazine - Premier Issue
- New Faculty Members
- College of Sciences Day at UNLV Football Game
- In Memoriam - Roberta Williams
- Submit Your News Items
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Your College Newsletter
This electronic newsletter is an attempt to enhance communication within the College of Sciences. We plan to include brief announcements, notices, and information of interest to faculty, staff, students, and friends of the College of Sciences and the larger university community.
In order to succeed, this publication will rely upon your submissions, suggestions, comments, and ideas. Please submit brief notices of research and teaching accomplishments, awards and presentations, grants and donations, alumni news, hirings and promotions, publications, guest lecturers, and other events, activities, and news of interest to the College of Sciences family.
Welcome Back!
We hope you all had a relaxing, enjoyable and (of course) productive summer. A special welcome to the new (and recent) faculty and staff joining the College of Sciences and experiencing their first new class of freshman students at UNLV. The summer has been a busy one on campus, with construction starting on the renovated and expanded Student Union. We are excited to announce (belatedly) that work on the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Building, to be located in the former parking lot near the Juanita Greer White Life Sciences Building, is underway. Many of you will be affected by the loss of parking spaces in and around this area and we appreciate your patience as UNLV adds a wonderful facility to our campus.
New College of Sciences Newsletter
With funding from the UNLV Foundation, the College of Sciences will publish a printed newsletter twice a year (fall and spring semesters) to highlight the activities and accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. Director of Development Bill Brown will coordinate this publication, relying upon all of us for ideas, information, and suggestions. You may be familiar with similar publications from other UNLV colleges and programs. Please read this semester's issue and consider feature stories for upcoming editions.
UNLV Fusion Magazine — Premier Issue
The Office of Research & Graduate Studies launched a new university publication dedicated to research. UNLV Fusion is an annual publication designed to share the important research, scholarship, and creative activity underway at UNLV. The first issue spotlights Harry Reid Silver State Research winners, Nevada 's nuclear past, and the Shadow Lane Campus, among other features. The Dean's Office has additional copies available for distribution, and the entire magazine is also online.
New Faculty Members
- Dong-Chan Lee (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Lowell) joins the Department of Chemistry from the University of Chicago, where he served as a postdoctoral research associate (2001-2004) and as research scientist (2004-2005). His research interests include the design and synthesis of organic photovoltaic and electro-optic materials.
- Daniel Proga (Ph.D., Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center (CAMK), Warsaw, Poland) joins the Physics Department from Princeton University, where he served as a research staff member in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences. His primary research interests focus on mass accretion processes onto compact objects and related mass outflows.
- Adam C. Simon (Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park) joins the Geoscience Department from Johns Hopkins University, where he served as a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer in the M.K. Blaustein Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. His primary teaching and research interests focus on geochemistry, mineralogy, and environmental geology.
- Professor Ronald J. Bieniek will serve as Visiting Professor in the Physics Department this year. He joined the physics faculty of the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1981. His scientific research is in the theory of atomic and molecular collision processes. In recent years, he has concentrated on educational issues, focusing on methods to improve student success and satisfaction. He established the Physics Learning Center, a collaborative learning forum for students that stresses mastery and teamwork. At UM-Rolla, Bieniek is the Director of New Faculty Programs and the Learning Enhancement Across Disciplines Program of student academic assistance and development. Bieniek has undertaken efforts to provide scientists and non-scientists with an understanding of the cultural implications of science, particularly that of physical science within the context of the history of ideas.
- Professor Dale Devitt is no stranger to UNLV and the College of Sciences. He serves as Director for the Center for Urban Water Conservation, soon-to-be the Center for Urban Agriculture and Water Conservation. For some twenty years Devitt has contributed greatly to UNLV, although technically a member of the University of Nevada, Reno faculty. We are pleased to officially welcome Dale Devitt to the UNLV faculty this year.
College of Sciences Day at UNLV Football Game
Please join fellow faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends from the College of Sciences at the November 19, 2005 UNLV Running Rebels Football game versus the Colorado State Rams at Sam Boyd Stadium. The College of Sciences has reserved a block of end zone seats at a special price of $10 per ticket.
Kick off time for the game is not yet scheduled. We will let you know as soon as a time is announced. Please order your tickets by contacting Rychelle Tomlin or Margie Markarian in the College of Science Dean’s Office. Cash or checks are needed to reserve your tickets. Please reserve seats by October 15th, so that we can secure the best seats possible for our group.
Bring your family and friends to Sam Boyd Stadium and join with our College of Science family to cheer the Rebels on to victory. The College of Sciences will also organize a tailgate party prior to the game. If you already have season tickets, stop by and join the fun. There will be food and surprises for everyone.
The College of Sciences will be recognized during the game, and Cathy Snelson, assistant professor of Geoscience at UNLV, will be honored for her 2003 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on young scientists at the outset of their careers. The award, which is given by the Executive Office of the President of the United States, was conferred upon Snelson at a ceremony and reception at the White House.
In Memoriam - Roberta Williams
Roberta Williams, an assistant professor of biology at UNLV who retired in 2004 passed away suddenly in May, 2005. Williams served as Laboratory Coordinator for the Department of Biological Sciences at UNLV. She received her B.S. in Chemistry from Chestnut Hill College and M.S. in Biology from UNLV. She taught non-science majors Human Biology and Environmental Science and has designed the laboratory component of both non-science majors and freshman majors biology courses. Most recently, she was involved with the College of Science and Mathematics Science Education Committee which is dedicated to upgrading science education for primary and secondary school educators. A member of the faculty since 1990, Williams taught courses in human biology, human genetics, environmental science, and scientific methods. During her distinguished career, Williams received the College of Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award, College of Sciences Distinguished Service Award, Extended Education's Faculty Excellence Award, and the Board of Regents Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award. She is also the author of a widely used biology textbook, Human Biology, a Laboratory Manual. Professor Williams also designed and coordinated the Master of Arts in Science degree program at UNLV, which is designed for science teachers. Williams taught and mentored thousands of UNLV students and area teachers in her career. The College of Sciences has established a fund for those who wish to contribute in her memory, to benefit the student advising center. Please direct your donations to: UNLV Foundation Box 451006 Las Vegas, NV 89154-1006 or to Bill Brown, Director of Development, College of Sciences, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 454001, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154.
A memorial service is planned for the Fall 2005 semester. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Submit Your News Stories
The College of Sciences E-Newsletter is published on or about the first of each month. Please submit news items via email by the fifteenth of each month, for consideration. You may send your submissions to: Bill Brown, Director of Development (william.brown@unlv.edu).
