The following faculty members recently joined the College:

• David Bartley, assistant professor, Chemistry/Biochemistry
• Patricia Barry Coleman, instructor, Chemistry/Biochemistry

The following Engineering & Science faculty members were awarded promotion and/or tenure effective August 16:

• Katherine Lanigan, associate professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and granted tenure
• Nassif Rayess, associate professor, Mechanical Engineering, and granted tenure
• Robert Ross, professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Katherine Snyder, associate professor, Mathematics & Computer Science
• Jonathan Weaver, professor, Mechanical Engineering

Stokes Baker, associate professor of Biology, has been elected as chair of the Education Section of the Botanical Society of America.

Katherine Lanigan, associate professor of Chemistry, and recent UDM graduates Karrie Manes and Katie Pidsosny co-authored the article, "Reflectance FTIR Spectroscopy Sampling Techniques for an Undergraduate Instrumental Analysis Laboratory," which was published in the June 2007 issue of The Chemical Educator.

Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry Shulamith Schlick received a Special Creativity Award from the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research Polymer Program.  The award, given to only five Polymer Program grantees this year, extends Schlick's current NSF grant by up to two years for research related to polymer degradation.  According to the NSF, Special Creativity Awards aim "to offer the most creative investigators an extended opportunity to attack adventurous, 'high-risk' opportunities..."  Andrew Lovinger, the NSF Polymers Program director, says that Schlick "has done superbly in every way," and that "her text is becoming a standard in the field." Schlick also received the 2007 Maria Sklodowska-Curie Medal from the Polish Radiation Research Society; read the story.

Also see the article, "Chemistry faculty members recognized for excellence," in this issue for more E&S faculty highlights.