Annual UCSD Chancellor's Associates event fetes exemplary faculty members Joseph Pasquale, Craig Callender, Sandra Brown, Pavel Pevzner and Irving "Jake" Jacoby.
Five outstanding University of California, San Diego faculty members will be presented with highly coveted awards for excellence in teaching, research and community service by the UCSD Chancellor's Associates on March 5. The recognition ceremony and reception will be held at 5 p.m. in the Ida and Cecil Green Faculty Club on the UC San Diego campus.
The annual event honors UC San Diego faculty as a whole, while highlighting the important contributions of the university's most exemplary teachers and researchers. Chancellor's Associates, a program for donors who give an annual leadership gift of $1,500 or more to the university, will recognize the outstanding accomplishments of UCSD faculty members with a citation and $2,500 honorarium.
The recipients of the 2006 Chancellor's Associates Faculty Excellence Awards include: Joseph Pasquale, Ph.D., professor of Computer Science, for excellence in undergraduate teaching; Craig Callender, Ph.D., professor of Philosophy, for excellence in graduate teaching; Sandra Brown, Ph.D., professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, for excellence in research in arts, humanities and social sciences; Pavel Pevzner, Ph.D., professor of Computer Science, for excellence in research in science and engineering; and Irving "Jake" Jacoby, M.D., professor of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, for excellence in community service.
"We are enormously pleased to present the Faculty Excellence Awards to these extraordinarily talented members of our faculty," said Marsha Chandler, UCSD senior vice chancellor of Academic Affairs. "Each of them has made an important contribution to UC San Diego and the community, be it through teaching, research or community leadership. We are proud to have them on our faculty."
Award candidates are nominated by their academic peers, with final selection by a committee comprised of Chancellor's Associates donors. Criteria for selection are based on faculty member achievements, reputation, and impact on students and the academic community. Since 1974, UC San Diego has recognized 105 extraordinary faculty members with Chancellor's Associates Faculty Excellence Awards.
About the 2007 Chancellor's Associates Faculty Excellence Awards recipients:
. Joseph Pasquale, Professor of Computer Science
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Pasquale will be recognized as an exemplary teacher, mentor and leader within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). He consistently earns top ratings and reviews from students taking his standing-room-only classes on Principles of Operating Systems and popular freshman seminars on the Slide Rule and Science of Casino Games. In addition to inspiring students to think creatively, Pasquale is a caring mentor, encouraging undergrads and high school students in their first steps toward a career in computer science.
"Professor Pasquale is an exemplary teacher," said Frieder Seible, dean of the Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD. "It is particularly noteworthy that his high student approval ratings are achieved in core undergraduate courses with enrollments as high as 200 students. His ability to relate to, encourage and inspire students is nothing short of amazing."
. Craig Callender, Professor of Philosophy
Excellence in Graduate Teaching
Callender will be honored for his commitment to graduate-level Philosophy students as a teacher, adviser and leader. A philosopher of science, specializing in the philosophical and scientific problems about time, Callender is a dynamic teacher who is able to motivate students to deeper levels of reflection in the most challenging subjects. He has been instrumental in revising the graduate program curriculum and as Graduate Chair, assumed significant responsibility for graduate student admissions and the students' subsequent education and research accomplishments.
Michael A. Bernstein, dean of the UCSD Division of Arts and Humanities, noted, "Professor Callender's teaching and mentoring of students is truly inspired. His impact as a graduate instructor is magnified by his willingness to assume significant responsibility for the administration of doctoral training in his field."
. Sandra Brown, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Excellence in Research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Brown will be recognized for her extensive research on the development, course and treatment of substance abuse, particularly the abuse of alcohol in adolescents. For her work, Brown has received two rare and prestigious NIH Merit Awards, which allow for a grant to be extended up to five years without the need for a normal competing review. A prolific author, Brown also lends her time and expertise to peer review, leadership roles in multiple professional organizations, and mentoring countless students.
"Professor Brown is one of the world's foremost authorities on adolescent substance abuse and her work is of enormous importance to society. We are fortunate to have her here at UCSD," said John Wixted, chair of the Department of Psychology.
. Pavel Pevzner, Professor of Computer Science
Excellence in Research in Science and Engineering
Pevzner will be honored for his work as a pioneer and widely recognized leader in the field of computational molecular biology, also known as bioinformatics. His focus in the area of genome rearrangements-a common type of genetic mutation-has helped shed light on the study of both evolutionary history and cancer. A distinguished lecturer and author, Pevzner has also been instrumental in organizing, developing and promoting bioinformatics-related research and educational programs on campus.
"Professor Pevzner has made broad and prolific contributions to the various areas of computational molecular biology," said Keith Marzullo, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. "It is hard to imagine this field without his presence."
. Irving "Jake" Jacoby, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Surgery
Excellence in Community Service
Jacoby will be recognized for his accomplishments as a founding member and team leader of the San Diego Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), which has received national recognition for significant advancements in the field of mobile medical response. As the commander of SD DMAT, he has responded to a wide range of disasters including the Northridge earthquake, the fires and floods in North Dakota, and Hurricanes George, Bret, Dennis, Rita and most notably, Katrina. Jacoby has been able to bring the expertise acquired through his experiences back to San Diego and has lectured extensively on issues related to disaster preparedness and response as well as hyperbaric medicine, infectious diseases and general emergency medicine.
"In regards to community service, Dr. Jacoby has been nothing less than a stand out," said David A. Guss, chair of the UCSD Department of Emergency Medicine. "He is a superb clinician and teacher who, through his actions and personal sacrifices, has brought critical medical services to thousands of people in need. He has made all of us in the Department of Emergency Medicine immensely proud."
About UCSD Chancellor's Associates
The UCSD Chancellor's Associates program provides an opportunity for the university to connect with friends and supporters within the community. Through the years, the group has grown to include more than 400 alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends from across the country. Chancellor's Associates donors are recognized for their generosity in providing annual leadership gifts of $1,500 or more to be used at the Chancellor's discretion. Chancellor's Associates gifts contribute to the $1 billion fundraising goal of The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What's Next. For more information on Chancellor's Associates, please visit www.chancellorsassociates.ucsd.edu.