Fourteen University of California faculty members and other academic personnel received 2009 Guggenheim fellowships -- more than any other university system.

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awarded fellowships this year to 180 artists, scholars and scientists from almost 3,600 applicants in the United States and Canada.

"I congratulate our Guggenheim fellows," said UC President Mark G. Yudof. "From investigating infectious diseases to improving solar technology to writing novels, UC faculty members are helping to enhance the health, economy and culture of California and beyond."

The New York-based foundation announced the awards Wednesday. Guggenheim fellows are appointed on the basis of stellar achievement and exceptional promise for continued accomplishment, according to the foundation. Since 1925, the foundation has granted more than $273 million in fellowships to nearly 16,700 individuals.

This year's Guggenheim fellows from the University of California are:

UC Berkeley
John Campbell, Willis S. and Marion Slusser Professor of Philosophy: Causation in psychology.

Constance J. Chang-Hasnain, John R. Whinnery Chair Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: Nano-optoelectronics for high-efficiency solar cells and handheld biosensors.

Lyn Hejinian, poet; professor of English: Poetry.

Pamela Wilson-Ryckman, artist; graduate advisor, California College of the Arts, and UC Berkeley: Painting.

UC Davis
Frances E. Dolan, professor of English and director of undergraduate studies: Seventeenth-century English literature and history.

Artyom Kopp, associate professor of evolutionary biology: The role of cis-regulatory sequences in the evolution of gene expression.

UC Irvine
Georg F. Striedter, associate professor, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior: Functional and evolutionary neurobiology.

UCLA
Sally Blower, professor, David Geffen School of Medicine: Mathematical modeling of infectious diseases.

Sanford M. Jacoby, Howard Noble Professor of Management, Public Policy and History: Labor and finance: risk, inequality and democracy.

Demetri Terzopoulos, Chancellor's Professor of Computer Science: Realistic human simulation.

Susan Cotts Watkins, professor of sociology, University of Pennsylvania; visiting research scientist, California Center for Population Research, UCLA: Navigating AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.

UC Riverside
Chris Abani, writer; professor of creative writing: Fiction.

UC San Diego
Lei Liang, composer; assistant professor of music: Music composition.

UC San Francisco
Chris Adrian, writer; fellow in pediatric hematology and oncology: Fiction.

View the full list of 2009 fellows: www.gf.org/news-events/List-of-2009-Fellows-United-States-and-Canada

For more news and information about the University of California: www.universityofcalifornia.edu