K-State achievements--2004 Faculty

Kansas State University achievements

2004 Faculty

* Former K-State provost Dr. James R. Coffman was recognized nationally for his efforts to promote diversity. The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges selected him as the 2004 recipient of the Iverson Bell Recognition Award. The selection recognizes his long-standing efforts to promote ethnic and racial dIversity in the veterinary medical profession. In making this selection, the committee made special note of Coffman's leadership while provost in institutionalizing diversity efforts at K-State through the creation of the office of diversity. Dececember 2004

* M. Duane Nellis, K-State provost, was recognized as a Distinguished Mentor by the National Council of Geographic Education. Nellis was one of three individuals presented with this award as part of the annual meeting of the National Council for Geographic Education held this year in Kansas City, Mo. The award was presented to Nellis for his distinguished role as a mentor of graduate students while at Kansas State University and West Virginia University and for his work funded through the National Geographic Society with Kansas K-12 teachers to enhance the teaching of geography in Kansas schools. Recognition at the annual meeting also included two special sessions in his honor presented by his former students. November 2004

* K-State's Lewis Cocke, a university distinguished professor of physics, received the Olin Petefish Award for research achievement in the basic sciences from the University of Kansas in recognition of his research achievement and leadership in the field of experimental physics. The award was presented Oct. 29 in the Bruckmiller Room of KU's Adams Alumni Center. The $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. An experimental physicist, Cocke is one of the world's foremost authorities in the area of medium- and high-energy ion-atom collisions. He examines the fragments that result from smashing extremely fast-moving particles into various types of matter. The aim of this research is to find out how the electrons of the atoms behave when they are exposed to such violent conditions. The Higuchi awards were established in 1981 by Takeru Higuchi, KU distinguished professor of chemistry and pharmacy and chair of pharmaceutical chemistry, and his wife, Aya. Higuchi created the award with the stipulation that faculty members at all Kansas regents institutions be eligible. November 2004

* K-State's Charles W. Rice was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his research showing the relationship between nitrogen and carbon cycling in soils and its effect on global climate change. Rice is a professor of soil microbiology in the department of agronomy. Election as a fellow to the association is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers. Fellows are selected because of their efforts to advance science or its applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. Rice has conducted long-term research on soil organic carbon dynamics, nitrogen transformations and microbial ecology. His work has provided insight into the process of carbon sequestration and its potential benefits to the ecosystem. His research, along with that of colleagues at K-State and other universities, has shown that successful implementation of practices that enhance soil carbon sequestration can lower the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and help improve valuable cropland. October 2004

* K-State professor Dallas Johnson received a major award from the American Statistical Association at the recent Joint Statistical Meetings. Johnson, professor of statistics, received an ASA Founders Award for distinguished and long-time service to the association. John Boyer, statistics department head, said Johnson's award holds great significance in the statistics profession. "It's given for long-time and distinguished service," Boyer said. "They give two to five per year in an organization of nearly 20,000 members." Johnson was one of four recipients this year. Boyer also said this is the first time someone from K-State has won this type of award. Johnson was nominated for the award for more than 35 years of service within the American Statistical Association, according to the association's Web site. He is founding editor of the Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics and has contributed editorial service to The American Statistician and other statistical journals. He is co-founder of the Mid-Missouri chapter of the American Statistical Association and president of the Kansas-Western Missouri chapter. Johnson was also recognized for outstanding service on various association committees as well as the board of directors. September 2004

* Dr. Bonnie Rush, a clinical sciences faculty member in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, received the Association for Women Veterinarian's Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year Award for 2004. The award was presented during the annual meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association July 26 in Philadelphia. Rush, professor and section head of equine internal medicine and surgery and associate dean for career development, was recognized by the association for special effort and achievement by a woman veterinarian in any area of veterinary medicine. July 2004

* Sanjay Rebello, assistant professor of physics, is one of very few scientists in the nation to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers -- a White House honor. He is among 57 of the nation's most promising young scientists and engineers recognized by President George W. Bush. The award honors and supports the extraordinary achievements of young professionals at the outset of their independent research careers in the fields of science and technology. June 2004

* Dean Zollman, a K-State distinguished professor of physics, is one of eight scientists to receive the National Science Foundation Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars. Zollman was honored along with the other recipients at a ceremony June 2 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. The National Science Foundation Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars recognizes and rewards individuals who have contributed significantly to the scholarship of their discipline and to the education of students in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, as well as those who exemplify the ability to engage productively in both research and education. This award is part of the National Science Foundation's efforts to promote an academic culture that values a scholarly approach to both research and education. May 2004