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Alumni News

Send your news to: Linda Scharer

• Bruce Spiher, of Public Relations & Marketing Communications, wrote a great article for the UMHS online newsletter Applause about the experiences of the trip by participants from the med school and nursing, titled UM Road Scholars connect with communities across the state
  View it here

• 2007 Scholars in the St. Ignace News- from May 10.

• Dr. Austin Agho,(MRS 2003) Dean of the School of Health Professions and Studies, UM-Flint, has resigned to take a position as Dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

To honor Austin and offer our best wishes as he departs, the Office of the Provost is hosting a Farewell Reception on Wednesday, June 25, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., in Michigan Rooms C/D (on the Flint campus). The reception will include hors d'oeuvres, a brief program at 4:00 p.m., with the rest of the time for guests to be able to offer their best wishes to Austin.

• Harriet Wall(MRS 2001) celebrated turning 65 by swimming 1000 miles over a one-year period. "Since I was in my 20s, I have set a goal to mark that five years. When I was younger most of my goals were academic or professional,” said Wall, a retired psychology professor from the University of Michigan-Flint."   Story from Grand Traverse Herald

• Anne Mondro(MRS 2006)has a collaborative exhibit titled Dragon of Wishes, Hopes and Dreams on view at the University Hospital, outside the first floor main lobby. The dragon was designed by artist Katy Bergman Cassell, funded by a FIGS grant, and brought about by participants creating messages in words and pictures on paper fans - more than 1,700 in all - which were then folded to become the scales adorning the Dragon.
  http://www.med.umich.edu/goa/programs.htm - near bottom of page.

• Paul O'Donnell (MRS 2000) coordinated the Crim Course Cleanup Project in Flint, in anticipation of the Crim Festival of Races that will take place in August. Read about it in the Flint Journal.

• Tune in to the History Channel this Saturday June 16,2007 to catch Marty Hershock, our 2007 Road Scholar Historian (yes - I did just make up that title -DDS), share his knowledge about the history of Michigan. The History Channel is running a new series called, "The States" on Saturday at 10:00 pm, they will air the segment that includes Michigan. Marty was interviewed for the segment - and he's hoping his chance at fame didn't land on the cutting room floor. Tune in to find out!

• Cynthia Pachikara(MRS 2003) Exhibits Pachikara's work is featured in a solo exhibition in St. Louis through May 2

• Anne Mondro(MRS 2006) Exhibits From July 4 through November 4, Assistant Professor Anne Mondro exhibits her work in Life InSight: The Human Experience, at Mary & Al Shands Gallery at the Kentucky Museum of Arts & Design in Louisville, Kentucky. The exhibition showcases craft objects inspired by the personal passages experienced in life.

• Rosina Bierbaum(MRS 2002), dean of the School of Natural Resources and Environment has been re-elected to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Board of Trustees for a second three-year term. UCAR is a nonprofit consortium of 70 North American member universities that provides research, facilities and services for the atmospheric and earth sciences community.

• Andrew Hoffman(MRS 2006) will discuss his report, "Getting Ahead of the Curve: Corporate Strategies that Address Climate Change" at a November conference to be held at Palmer Commons on November 10, 2006. Record Article  Also, listen to the related podcast.

Alumni Reception

The 2006 Alumni Reception was held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library on Thursday, October 19. We had a great turnout and an interesting and informative presentation by Elaine Didier, Director.

We want to thank Elaine and her staff for the wonderful accomodations and making it such an interesting evening.

During the presentation Elaine mentioned that the library contained more than 20 million documents, among them were all the letters written to the President by children. Joe Serwach mentioned that he had written a letter when he was 11 years old. Here's what happened, in Joe's words (Joe, thanks for sending this, and the scans).
Letter to President Ford

Reply from President Ford

More Alumni News

• Dena Goodman(MRS2002) Professor of history and women's studies received the LSA-OVPR Michigan Humanities Awards (MHA). Goodman plans to complete a book, "Putting Pen to Paper: Becoming a Woman in the Age of Letters", that will illuminate the lives of women and the importance of writing at an historical moment - France in the second half of the 18th century.

• Antonia Villarruel(MRS2001), director of the Center for Health Promotion at the U-M School of Nursing, led a study by University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania researchers HIV-prevention for Latino youths. News Service Article

• Rosina M. Bierbaum(MRS2002) reappointed dean, School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), effective Oct. 1, 2006 - Aug. 31, 2009.

• Karen Downing(MRS2003) has been appointed coordinator of the Executive Research Service (ERS). The ERS provides research assistance and support to UM executive officers and their staffs.

• Elizabeth Younker(MRS2001), appointed dean for academic affairs, School of Music, effective July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2009.

• Rebecca Blank(MRS2002), change in title to Joan and Sanford I. Weill Dean of Public Policy, Gerlad R. Ford School of Public Policy, effective July 1, 2006 - Aug. 31, 2009.

• Augustine Agho(MRS2003), reappointed dean, School of Health Professions and Studies, effective July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2011.

• Nancy Ambrose King(MRS2005), was elected as President of the International Double Reed Society, a professional organization of over 5000 members from 82 countries.

• Michael Aztmon(MRS2000), will be a full professor effective September, 2006, in the College of Engineering.

• Dena Goodman(MRS2002), Professor of History and Women's Studies, has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. UM News Service Story.

• Russel Neuman(MRS2006), reappointed John Derby Evans Professor of Media Technology (LSA, effective Sept 1, 2006 - Aug. 31, 2011), and Research at UM Center for Political Studies, spoke at a conference sponsored by Michigan Telecommunications Association about the impact of the internet on elections. Link to Gongwer Article.

• Norman Yoffee(MRS2000), professor of Near Eastern studies and anthropology, and a Steelcase Research Professor is the recipient of one of 16 fellowships from The Institute for the Humanities to support research projects during 2006-7.

• John King(MRS2001)dean and professor in the School of Information (SI), has been selected as vice provost for academic information. The appointment will be effective June 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents.  University Record Article

• Members of Beta Alpha Psi, the UM-Flint honors society for accounting and finance, helped about 400 people file income tax this year. "I think our program is beneficial to both the students and community," said advisor Dr. Cathleen L. Miller(MRS 2005). Flint Journal Article

• English Professor Eric Rabkin(MRS 2000) is this year's winner of the Golden Apple award, which designates professors who "teach every lecture as if it were their last". The award is presented each year by the Students Honoring Outstanding University Teaching committee. Congratulations Eric!

• Youxue Zhang(MRS 1999) professor of geological sciences, was one of five UM faculty selected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), for making exceptional advances in a wide range of geological frontiers, including the origin and evolution of the Earth, explosive volcanism and gas-driven lake eruptions.

• Scott Kurashige(MRS2002) and Emily Lawsin(MRS2002), have been involved in the "Detroit Chinatown Revitalization Project" which includes programs to "motivate Asian-American youth in Detroit to develop leadership skills and awareness for social justice."  The project was funded through the MRS Seed Grant program two years ago.  Read more about it in the Detroit News at:   http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0407/04/d04-202358.htm

• Bradley R. Smith(MRS2001), associate dean for creative work, research, and graduate education and associate professor of art in the School of Art & Design, and research associate professor in radiology in the Medical School is one of five faculty members selected as fellows in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation's (CIC) Academic Leadership Program for the 2005-06 academic year.

• Rachel Goldman(MRS1999), associate professor of materials science and engineering, has been named a 2005-6 Radcliffe Institute Fellow at Harvard University for her project, "Directed Matrix Seeding of Semi-conductor Nanostructure Arrays."

• Mojtaba Navvab(MRS 2002), associate professor of Architecture, was enlistd by the University to surey and research lighting campus-wide.

• Charles Bright(MRS 1999)appointed director, Residential College, LSA, effective Jan 1, 2006 - June 30, 2010.

• Rodney Ewing(MRS 1999), appointed chair, Department of Geological Sciences, LSA, effective July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2008.

• Harriet Wall(MRS 2001), professor of psychology in CAS at U-M Flint, retired effective June 30, 2005.

• Jan Henrick(MRS 2000)assistant professor in the School of Art & Design, exhibited "Sized Matter-Perception of the Extreme Unseen" at the Fermi National Accelrator Laboratory in Batavia, Ill. Link to Article

• Tony England(MRS 1999), professor, EECS, AOSS, has accepted an appointment as associate dean for academic affairs. He has also received the 2004 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Judith A. Resnik Award.

• Michael Falk(MRS2001), Dow Corning Assistant Professor f Materials Science and Engineering has received a grant from the Gilbert Whitaker Fund for the Improvement of Teaching. Falk is also the recipient of this year's 1938E Award.

• Aline Cotel(MRS2000), assistant professor, CEE, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

• Tassos Perakis(MRS 2005), associate professor, Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering (NAME), has been named a Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

• Bill Martin(MRS 2002), professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NES) has been appointed department chair of NERS.

• A video documenting the inaugural tour of the Michigan Road Scholars is presented here. Professor Sherman James of the School of Public Health shot the footage and he graciously allowed its use for this video. Additional interviews were added to give the viewer a unique perspective of the tour from the faculty participants. We hope that you find this videotape both informational and enjoyable. The tape is almost 13 minutes in length.
• Please click onMichigan Road Scholars Video to watch the tape.

• You will need Real Player to watch the above video. You can download Real Player softwarehere.