Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/66107
President's and Provost's awards honor top faculty Central Michigan University recently recognized four faculty members for and Provost's Awards for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity. excellence in academics, research and student engagement through the annual President's Their work, which often involves undergraduate and graduate students, has collectively received more than $4 million in grant and external funding and has established them among the recognized leaders in their respective fields. "Today's honorees exemplify those CMU faculty who nurture the success of our students," CMU President George E. Ross said at the awards presentation. "They embrace providing students with instruction that is cutting edge and relevant, taking the time and energy to serve as mentors to help our students develop as top professionals in their fields and contributors to their communities." Gary Dunbar, professor of psychology and neuroscience, and Mihai Horoi, professor of physics, were honored with President's Awards, which are given annually to outstanding senior faculty members for their scholarship and research of national and international merit. Dunbar, who has taught at CMU since 1987, is internationally renowned in the field of behavioral neuroscience. His research concentrates on incorporating stem cell transplants, dietary supplements and pharmacological treatments for cognitive or motor deficits following brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. not only me, but of my students and those people who have supported me in the past." Horoi, a leading international researcher in various areas of nuclear physics, joined CMU as a programmer analyst in 1995 after serving as a research associate at institutions such "I'm just thrilled that I was selected," says Dunbar. "This award is a nice acknowledgement of Mihai Horoi as Germany's Giessen University and Romania's Radiation Laboratory. His projects focus on nuclear structure, computational quantum many-body systems, and structure and properties of atomic clusters. "This recognition is very important to me," says Horoi. "It shows that CMU appreciates the kind of research that I am involved in doing, and it will help me intensify my efforts." Troy Hicks, assistant professor of English, and David Zanatta, assistant professor of biology, were given Provost's Awards, which recognize excellent scholarship, creativity and promise among junior faculty members. Hicks works in the areas of K-12 professional development, participatory action research, composition, and newer literacies and technology. Zanatta's research represents pioneering approaches to working with endangered organisms in North America and has offered great contributions in the understanding of freshwater mollusk conservation. 6 centralight summer '11