Sponsored Programs Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research
Dr. Jeffery Larkin (sitting, center), associate professor, Department of Biology, was selected as this year's recipient. Dr. Larkin's commitment and dedication to research is evidenced by his ability to secure over twenty awards with a value of $1.4 million in funds since joining IUP in 2005. His research initiatives include (1) U.S. Fish and Forest Service: Forest Reclamation Approach on Coal Surface Mining to Restore Healthy Forests; (2) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: White-Nose SyndromeMulti-State Coordination, Investigation, and Rapid Response to an Emerging Health Threat; and (3) Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Golden-Winged Warbler Response to Habitat Manipulation in Pennsylvania.
Sponsored Programs Award for Outstanding Achievement in Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Carmy Carranza (sitting, second from left), chairperson, Department of Developmental Studies, is this year's recipient. Dr. Carranza continues to develop proposals for IUP's longstanding Act 101 Program, receiving an additional award during the past proposal cycle for the Punxsutawney regional campus. Act 101 is a state grant that provides funding to postsecondary institutions to aid students who require academic and financial support in order to make a successful transition to college. In addition, she has coauthored a federal TRIO Student Support Services proposal in anticipation of serving first-generation and low-income college students.
Sponsored Programs Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Service
Mr. Hank Knerr (sitting, right), director of Public Events for the Lively Arts and College of Fine Arts, was chosen as the recipient. He is responsible for promoting and presenting nearly two hundred in-house and visiting artist events each year. In addition, he directs arts-in-education activities for ArtsPath, which serves a five-county region in Western Pennsylvania.
IUP Research Institute Award for New Investigator
Dr. Timothy Runge (sitting, second from right), assistant professor, Department of Educational and School Psychology, and director of the Center for Gifted Education, was selected as this year's recipient. Dr. Runge's research interest include behavior support at the individual, classroom, and schoolwide level; literacy assessment and instruction; and curriculum-based assessment. He secured a contract with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network to evaluate their schoolwide positive behavior support initiative, which is being implemented in over seventy schools across the state.
Graduate Dean's Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sponsored Programs
Ms. Tracy Missien (sitting, left) was chosen as this year's recipient. Ms. Missien serves as the interim director of Workforce Education and Economic Development at IUP. Ms. Missien works closely with faculty members to align their interests with external funding opportunities. She conducts outreach to foster university/industry collaborations for research projects, training, grant funding, and service projects.
Outstanding Graduate Student Research Awards
Dr. Mais ALQutami (not in photo) was selected for her dissertation research, "Feminist Resistance in Contemporary American Women Writers of Color: Unsettling Images of the Veil and the House in Western Culture." Her advisor, Dr. Susan Comfort, Department of English, accepted the award on her behalf.
Dr. Katherine Remillard (standing, left) was selected for her dissertation research, "The Mathematical Discourse of Undergraduate Mathematics Majors: The Relation to Learning Proof and Establishing a Learning Community." Her advisor was Dr. Monte Tidwell, Department of Professional Studies in Education.
Dr. Winnifred Younkin (standing, second from left) was selected for her dissertation research, "The Intersection if Discipline and Rates: Dr. Pauline Mack's Story as an Instrumental Case Study with Implications for Leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics." Dr. Younkin's advisor was Dr. Cathy Kaufman, Department of Professional Studies in Education.
Presenting the awards were Dr. Gerald Intemann (standing, center), provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Timothy Mack (standing, second from right), dean of Graduate Studies and Research, and Mr. Mark Berezansky (standing, right), chief operating officer of the IUP Research Institute.