2002
Faculty
*
K-State's Dennis Law, dean of the College of Architecture, Planning
and Design and professor of landscape architecture, and Chip Winslow,
professor of landscape architecture, have been recognized by the
Michigan chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
with its Honor Award for outstanding professional achievement
for "Adapting Disturbed Land to Recreational Uses,"
a chapter they wrote for a recently published book, "Restoring
the Earth: Environmental Design for Reclaiming Surface Mines."
December 2002
*
Three K-State physics faculty members have been selected as fellows
in the American Physics Society. Itzik Ben-Itzhak, Brett Depaola
and Bharat Ratra were among the less than one-half of 1 percent
of the international society's members to be recognized with fellowships
this year. According to the American Physics Society, the fellowship
program was created to recognize members who have made advances
in knowledge through original research, made significant contributions
in the application of physics to science and technology or made
contributions to the teaching of physics or to the society. December
2002
*
Eugene Kremer, professor of architecture at Kansas State University,
is the recipient of the 2002 Henry W. Schirmer Distinguished Service
Award, the highest award bestowed by the Kansas chapter of the
American Institute of Architects. The award recognizes Kremer
for consistently and effectively working to improve the profession
of architecture in the state of Kansas and across the country.
It also lauds his service and leadership to strengthen the organization
at the local, state and national levels. November 2002
*
Kansas State University's Alton "Tony" Barnes has received
the 2002 Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal from the American Society
of Landscape Architects. Barnes is just the second recipient of
the teaching medal, which recognizes an individual who has made
a sustained and significant teaching contribution to landscape
architecture. He was nominated for the honor by the Prairie Gateway
chapter and the K-State student chapter of the American Society
of Landscape Architects. November 2002
*
Two K-State faculty members were awarded the distinction of Fellow
by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election
as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers.
Jan Leach, university distinguished professor of plant pathology,
and Paul Seib, professor of grain science and industry, were among
291 members recognized this year. They were recognized for their
efforts to advance science or foster applications that are deemed
scientifically distinguished. Leach was recognized for fundamental
studies in the biology of plant and pathogen interactions, particularly
the interactions between rice and bacterial pathogens that result
in disease resistance. Seib was recognized for pioneering contributions
in the field of Vitamin C, especially its chemistry and stability,
and to the field of starch science, particularly isolation and
use of wheat starch. October 2002
*
K-State president Jon Wefald was inducted into the Scandinavian-American
Hall of Fame in Minot, N.D., Oct. 9. Others inducted this year
were the late jazz great Peggy Lee, the North Dakota-born singer
who became one of America's top female singers in recent history,
and Alf Engen, who is a 16-time United States ski champion. Among
those who have been inducted in recent years are Knute Rockne,
Charles A. Lindbergh, Dr. Norman Borlaug, former Vice President
Walter Mondale, Bud Grant and Eric Sevareid. Five governors are
included in the Hall of Fame, along with political leaders, outstanding
athletes and entertainers like Celeste Holme, Arlene Dahl and
Victor Borge. October 2002
*
Krishna Tummala, K-State's director of the graduate program in
public administration and professor of political science, has
been placed on the Senior Scholar Roster by the J. William Fulbright
Foreign Scholarship Board, the Bureau of Education and Cultural
Affairs of the Department of State, and the Council for International
Exchange of Scholars. The Roster is a list of approved candidates
who are qualified in their field to be matched with incoming program
requests from overseas academic institutions for Fulbright Senior
Specialists. As program requests are received, candidates are
contacted by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars
according to their expertise and further considered. Tummala's
name will remain on the Roster for up to five years. Tummala served
in India as a Senior Fulbright Scholar in 1990. September 2002
*
Chuck Werring, director of housing and dining services at K-State,
was awarded the prestigious James C. Grimm Leadership and Service
award for his outstanding service to the Association of College
and University Housing Officers-International. The award is the
highest recognition a member can receive, and Werring was selected
for his 25 years of involvement with the organization. During
that time, Werring has served as a member of the board of trustees
of the organization's foundation, as a member of the organization's
executive board and as chairperson of numerous committees. The
Association of College and University Housing Officers-International
is a professional organization designed to improve collegiate
housing experiences by connecting members in that field. September
2002
*
A K-State physicist is one of four recipients of a research award
from the University of Kansas. Talat Rahman, a university distinguished
professor of physics, received the Olin Petefish Award for research
achievement in the basic sciences. This $10,000 Higuchi award
recognizes research excellence by faculty members at Kansas Regents
institutions. Recipients may use their awards for research materials,
summer salaries, fellowship matching funds, research assistance
or other support. Rahman is a condensed matter theorist who investigates
the physics of nano-materials and solid surfaces and interfaces.
This work is important for solving technological issues such as
thin film growth, new materials development, tailoring of properties
of nanomaterials, controlling chararcteristics of catalysis and
corrosion. September 2002
*
K-State faculty in economics and civil engineering are among the
best in the world for research published in transportation and
logistics academic journals. According to the Spring 2002 issue
of "Transportation Journal" in a study "Affiliation
of Authors in Transportation and Logistics Academic Journals --
Another Look," K-State ranked 14th in the world based on
publications in the top seven transportation/logistics journals
from 1992-1998. K-State ranked 15th in the world for authors who
had published articles in the top 12 transportation/logistics
journals during that same period. K-State also ranked in the top
10 universities in the world for three of the seven journals employed
to determine the world rankings. These were "Journal of the
Transportation Research Forum" (K-State second in the world),
"Transportation Journal" (K-State seventh in the world)
and Transportation Research Part E (K-State seventh in the world).
August 2002
*
K-State's Jan E. Leach has been appointed an honorary scientist
of the Rural Development Administration in Korea. Leach, a distinguished
professor of plant pathology, was nominated for a three-year term
that began July 1. The Rural Development Administration is a central
government organization responsible for the agricultural rresearch
and extension in Korea. Leach will participate in discussions
with the scientists at Rural Development Administration to suggest
better ways to solve agricultural problems they are facing. The
honorary scientists are often invited as resource persons to the
Rural Development Administration or its constituent institutes
for scientific consultation. A nomination letter Leach received
indicated that the honorary scientists are carefully selected
on the basis of the leadership and excellence in the area of specialty
of each nominee. July 2002
*
K-State chemical engineering professor Walter P. Walawender has
been named a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers,
an award reserved for those members who have made meaningful impact
on the profession, displayed significant service to the Institute
and the profession, and who have achieved significant accomplishments
in chemical engineering. This is an exceptionally prestigious
award based on a full career's worth of accomplishment in the
chemical engineering profession. Walawender has been a member
of Kansas State University's department of chemical engineering
faculty since September 1969. Walawender is the third member of
K-State's chemical engineering faculty to be awarded Fellow status
— the others are L.T. Fan and Larry Erickson. Having three
of the department's 10 faculty as Fellows of the Institute is
far above the national average. June 2002
*
Two K-State professors were named J. William Fulbright scholars
by the U.S. State Department and the Council on International
Exchange of Scholars. One will study the grasslands of Botswana
and the other will teach veterinarians in the desert country of
Israel. David Hartnett, professor of biology and director of the
Konza Prairie Biological Station, will learn more about managing
the ecosystem of the American prairie by traveling half a world
away. Radiologist David Biller earned an award to teach veterinary
students in Israel, though his trip will be put on hold due to
safety concerns. May 2002
*
Carla Jones, interim associate provost for diversity and dual
career development at K-State, has been elected to the Executive
Council of the American College Personnel Association. Jones,
who has served as associate and assistant dean of student life
and assistant professor in the College of Education at K-State,
will begin her two-year term in July 2002. Duties will include
overseeing the work of the 16 commissions of the association and
serving as a member of the Executive Council. Jones was also an
honoree at the March 2002 conference as one of three professionals
in the nation selected to the Senior Student Affairs Officer Practitioner
Program for the American College Personnel Association, a program
designed to enrich the involvement of senior student affairs officers
within the association. April 2002
*
Steven Wall, K-State assistant professor of philosophy, was offered
a Laurence S. Rockefeller Fellowship at Princeton University's
Center for Human Values for 2002-2003. He is the first K-State
philosophy scholar to ever be offered the Rockefeller Fellowship.
The Rockefeller Fellowship is offered annually to outstanding
scholars and teachers who are interested in devoting a year in
residence at Princeton. While in residency, the scholars write
about ethics, human values and participate in various activities
at the university; including university seminars, colloquia, public
lectures and a Fellow's seminar. Rockefeller Fellows are also
given access to Princeton's Firestone Library and a wide range
of university activities to assist them with research and writing.
Wall was chosen for the Fellowship based on the significance of
his proposed research and its relevance to the purposes of Princeton
University. He was also cited for the quality of his previous
research and the contribution he is likely to make in the future
through teaching and writing about ethics and human values. He
is one of four scholars offered the Rockefeller Fellowship for
2002-2003. March 2002
*
Shuting Lei, K-State assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing
systems engineering, received the prestigious National Science
Foundation Faculty Early Career Development award, which includes
a $375,000 research grant. Lei is the seventh K-State College
of Engineering recipient since 1995. The National Science Foundation
awarded Lei a five-year grant for his research project, "Design
and Development of Novel Responsive Cutting Tools for Laser-Assisted
Machining and Diagnosis of Structural Ceramics: A Research Integrated
Education Career Landscape." March 2002
2005
Faculty
2004
Faculty
2003
Faculty
Achievements
index
