Recognized as an institutional tradition in the University of Miami College of Arts & Sciences, the annual Faculty Scholarly & Creative Activities Recognition Reception once again honored faculty for their academic achievements.
“Every year, we come together to show support and gratitude to our talented, hardworking, and dedicated faculty who have excelled in developing cutting-edge research and writing books and articles related to their field of study as well as in creating new artistic expressions,” said College of Arts & Sciences Dean Leonidas Bachas. “We also recognized the new Cooper Fellows, our most prestigious recognition, to faculty who have made important contributions to our core values in teaching, service, and scholarship. I would also like to thank President Julio Frenk for attending our ceremony and congratulating our faculty.”
The ceremony began with Dean Bachas introducing and congratulating the new Cooper Fellows: Philosophy Professor Otávio Bueno, a world-renowned philosopher of science and logic, who has written 13 books and over 190 articles; Mathematics Professor Shigui Ruan whose work focuses on the nonlinear dynamics of differential equations and the application of mathematical theory to the investigation of real biological, epidemiological, and medical problems; and English Professor and founding director of the Center for the Humanities, Mihoko Suzuki, whose research reflects early modern women writers throughout Europe—a field she helped expand through inter- and transdisciplinary work.
Dean Bachas also announced the recipient of the Gabelli Senior Scholar Award, Lucina Uddin, associate professor in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Uddin investigates neural bases of cognitive flexibility, control, and attentional processes in both adults and children. She is currently the principal investigator of four NIH awards, including a $2.3 million grant on cognitive and neural flexibility in autism.
In addition, three A&S faculty members received the Scholarly & Creative Activities Recognition Award.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Michelle Afkahami, who joined A&S in January 2016 focuses on plant-microbial interactions, and she investigates the ecology, evolution, and genomics of these species interactions at scales ranging from genes to communities. In her research, she uses a combination of long-term field and greenhouse experiments, mathematical modeling, and laboratory-based molecular methods. Assistant Professor of History, Scott Heerman, who joined UM in August 2015, a scholar of 19th-century US history, has completed a book-length study, to appear later this year from the University of Pennsylvania Press, and was the co-organizer of a symposium on the Fourteenth Amendment that brought together some of the most distinguished scholars to the University.The third recipient is Assistant Professor of Geography and Regional Studies, Imelda Moise, who joined the faculty in 2015. Moise has received two extramural awards to support her research program, including a 2017 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study adolescent alcohol abuse, and a multi-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control to analyze the impacts and risk of Zika virus in South Florida. Her recent research has been published by such high-profile journals as PLoS One, Scientific Reports, and PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
At the reception’s finale, Dean Bachas recognized the promotion of three A&S lecturers in the English Composition Program to Senior Lecturers: Paul Deveney, Kimberly McGrath Moreira, and Joshua Schriftman; as well as the retirement of Bruce Lecure, Theatre Arts; Edward Li Puma, Anthropology; James Nickel, Philosophy; Perri Lee Roberts, Art & Art History; Jamie Suchlicki, History; and Kathryn Tosney, Biology.
May 10, 2018
