• Henk Granzier, professor in the Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology, was awarded the Helmholtz Humboldt Research Award in recognition of his research accomplishments. One of six annual recipients in all fields, Granzier was invited and funded to undertake prolonged periods of research in collaboration with colleagues in Germany.
• Clinical veterinarian Nina Woodford this summer was presented with the national Foster Award for scoring the highest on the practical portion of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine certifying examination for 2005.
• Dennis Haarsager, associate vice president and general manager for Educational Telecommunications and Technology, and Northwest Public Radio’s general manager, won the national Public Radio Regional Organizations award for significant contributions to the health and growth of public radio.
• James M. Krueger, a professor of neuroscience at the College of Veterinary Medicine, received the 2006 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Sleep Research Society. The award, the highest presented annually by the society, recognizes significant, original and sustained contributions to the study of sleep.
• The Association for Behavior Analysis named Thomas Brigham, psychology professor and special assistant to the president, and Frances McSweeney, vice provost for Faculty Affairs, as ABA fellows — those who have made, “sustained and excellent contributions to the field of behavior analysis.”
• Charlotte Hardt, interim director of WSU Extension’s Eastern Washington Area Health Education Center, received the 2006 Louis Gorin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Health Care from the National Rural Health Association, a nonprofit organization that provides leadership on rural health issues.
• John Irby, clinical associate professor and associate director of undergraduate studies in the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, was named Outstanding Educator of the Year for the newspaper division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for his work to prepare journalism students, advance journalism education and promote students’ career development.
• Scott McGee was presented with the National Plant Germplasm System Special Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the field regeneration of genetic resources at the WSU-administered Western Regional Plant Introduction Station. The NPGS is a cooperative effort by state, federal and private organizations to preserve the genetic diversity of plants.
• Cougar Gold, WSU’s sharp white cheddar cheese, earned a Gold Award at the 2006 World Cheese Awards. The competition attracted 1,500 entries in a variety of classes from around the world. Twenty-three U.S. companies came home with 43 medals.
• A team of four pharmacy students advised by Linda Garrelts MacLean, interim department chair in pharmacotherapy, is among three finalists in a national business plan competition sponsored by the National Community Pharmacists Association. The team includes Daniela Beilic, Jason Doss, Joshua Fancher and Corinne Gavrun. The finals are in October.
• Nicholas Wallin, assistant professor of music, was accepted to the International Academy of Advanced Conducting in St. Petersburg, Russia. He conducts the WSU Symphony Orchestra and is music director and conductor of the Washington Idaho Symphony.
• Susmita Bose, assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, was invited to participate at the “Kavli Frontiers of Science” conference, organized by the National Academy of Sciences. Only 80-100 scientists in the U.S. under age 45 receive this invitation.
• “The Way We Ate: Pacific Northwest Cooking, 1843-1900,” by Jackie Williams, published in 1996 by WSU Press, was named a Summer Selection by the Washington State Library’s Washington Reads program.
www.secstate.wa.gov/library/wa_reads.aspx
• The first endowed chair in marketing at WSU was awarded to David Sprott, associate professor of marketing. The Boeing Scott and Linda Carson Chair in Marketing was established by a gift from the Boeing Company and by an additional gift from the Carson family. Scott Carson is a Boeing vice president and WSU alumnus.
• Jean Johnson, professor of marketing, was awarded the Gardener O. Hart Faculty Excellence Distinguished Professorship, established in 2003 by a gift from late alumnus Gardener O. Hart.
• A WSU research site in Puyallup was renamed the R.L. Goss Turfgrass Research Farm in honor of former employee Roy L. Goss, a pioneer in turfgrass research.
• The School of Biological Sciences renamed its electron microscopy and imaging facility to the Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center, recognizing contributions of the late director, Vincent Franceschi, who died unexpectedly in 2005.
• Hal Dengerink, chancellor, WSU Vancouver, received a Washington Association of School Administrators Community Leadership Award, presented to community members for contributions to education in areas such as leadership, motivation and history of service.
• The new WSU Vancouver Student Services Center and Firstenburg Student Commons were among 25 area construction projects given Top Projects Awards by the Vancouver Business Journal. The awards recognize the largest area construction projects of the past year, as well as those that contribute to the local economy. The facilities are scheduled for completion in 2007.
