UC Irvine emergency medicine professors Dr. Kristi Koenig and Dr. Tareg Bey have been awarded the Order of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, which recognizes significant contributions in and commitment to the specialty. It is considered one of the leading honors in the field of international medicine; fewer than 100 emergency medicine physicians worldwide have received it. Koenig and Bey (pictured) are known around the globe for their expertise in disaster preparedness and have worked with foreign governments on their emergency response efforts. Both have also been appointed "international ambassadors" for the American College of Emergency Physicians, helping to promote emergency medicine in Europe and Asia. They will accept the award at an IFEM conference next June.   More »

Image, a weekly magazine for radiology professionals, has named UCI's Joyce Keyak to its 2009 "25 Most Influential in Radiology" roster. Keyak, an orthopedic surgery associate professor who will be joining the radiological sciences department, was selected for helping create radioactive bone cement that targets cancerous tumors in the bone without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. The product, called Bone-Rad, could reduce cancer patients' exposure to radiation and the cost of treatment. "Radioactive bone cement is likely to have a profound impact on the treatment of cancer that spreads to bones," says the magazine. "Combining her varied experiences in other disciplines, such as engineering and orthopedics, with radiology gives her a fresh perspective and an innovative style."   More »

Ivan Soltesz, UC Irvine professor and chair of anatomy & neurobiology, has been named recipient of the 2009 Michael Prize, one of the most highly regarded international awards for biomedical research on epilepsy. Soltesz’s work focuses on the factors causing epileptic seizures resulting from head trauma in adults and early febrile seizures in infants. The award includes a 20,000 euro prize and will be presented at the International Epilepsy Congress Sunday, June 28, in Budapest. In 2005, Soltesz also received the Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences, the U.S.’s top prize for cutting-edge research into brain disorders, and was recently elected chair of the basic science committee of the American Epilepsy Society.   More »

UC Irvine senior Jane Chin was named Duramed National Golf Coaches Association First Team All-American after placing 16th in the NCAA championship May 22 – the highest finish by an Anteater. Chin becomes the second Anteater to gain NGCA All-American honors and the first to earn first team distinction. Chin also was awarded NGCA All-West Region distinction. Overall, the UCI women’s golf team finished in 22nd place at the NCAA championship at Caves Valley Golf Club.   More »

Anteater baseball fans are encouraged to vote for shortstop Ben Orloff for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award, which honors senior student-athletes who excel in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition. Voting for the 10 finalists concludes May 31. Fan balloting and votes from coaches, media and sponsors will determine the award recipient. Orloff, UCI’s team captain, was chosen by Rivals.com as one of the top returning senior baseball players in the country. A criminology, law & society major, he makes an impact off the field by tutoring sixth-grade students and serving as a teacher’s aid at an Irvine elementary school.   More »

Dr. Tallie Z. Baram, the Danette Shepard Chair in Neurological Sciences at UC Irvine, has received the Epilepsy Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Pharmacology of Antiepileptic Drugs. Presented by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the award recognizes and stimulates outstanding research leading to better clinical control of epileptic seizures. Baram is considered the world’s leading investigator of the basic neural mechanisms involved in childhood febrile seizures – seizures caused by high fever – and how these prolonged seizures can lead to adult epilepsy. She also won the 2006 Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences, the nation’s most prestigious prize for cutting-edge research into brain disorders. She will receive the ASPET award April 18 at the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans.   More »

NARSAD, the leading charity for research on mental health disorders, has honored Daniele Piomelli with its prestigious Distinguished Investigator Award. The award includes one-year $100,000 grant that will allow Piomelli, the Louise Turner Arnold Chair in the Neurosciences, to advance his research on new anti-anxiety medicines. He is one of 16 outstanding scientists receiving NARSAD’s 2009 Distinguished Investigator Award. This highly competitive grant program is designed for investigators of brain and psychiatric disorders who have established themselves as leaders in their fields.   More »

UC Irvine marketing professor Connie Pechmann has been named winner of the fourth annual Richard Pollay Prize for Intellectual Excellence in the Study of Marketing in the Public Interest. The prize, awarded by the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, is named for Sauder professor Richard Pollay in recognition of his contributions to marketing, advertising and the public interest. Pechmann, who has received nearly $1.5 million in grants to study anti-smoking ads and adolescents, focuses on tobacco, pharmaceutical and direct comparative advertising. As part of the award, she will speak on "Smokescreen: Making sense of youth-geared messages about tobacco in entertainment and advertising" at the University of British Columbia March 20.   More »

Dr. Julianne Toohey was one of 45 physicians nationwide to be nominated for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ 2008 Humanism in Medicine Award. Toohey was honored for providing compassionate care to women with high-risk pregnancies and for her achievements in medical education and community involvement. An obstetrics and gynecology associate clinical professor at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, she oversees the third-year medical student ob/gyn clinical training program and works with service organizations like Human Options, Maternal Outreach Management Systems and the Orange County Family Violence Council to provide humanistic, community-based assistance for mothers-to-be in need. “I appreciate this award because I believe as doctors we must treat the entire person and not just a symptom,” said Toohey, who earned her bachelor’s and medical degrees from UCI.   More »

Researchers from the UC Irvine Reeve-Irvine Research Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery received a top award at the 36th Annual Meeting of the Cervical Spine Research Society. The research team of Dr. Jeremy Smith, Thu Pham, Ryan Anderson, Dr. Nitin Bhatia, Oswald Steward and Dr. Ranjan Gupta won the Resident/Fellow Award for their project, “The role of durotomy and duroplasty following cervical spinal cord injury in an animal model.” Smith (pictured), an orthopedic resident and the study’s first author, also received an award of $2,000. The meeting took place Dec. 4-6 in Austin, Texas   More »

Dr. Frank L. Meyskens Jr. of UC Irvine will be honored by the American Association for Cancer Research for his contributions to cancer chemoprevention. Meyskens, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center director and associate vice chancellor of health sciences, will receive the association’s Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research. Meyskens' research and clinical work have led to preventions and treatments for colon, skin and other cancers. Earlier this year, he presented breakthrough findings for the treatment of colon polyps, and he received the American Society of Preventive Oncology’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2006.   More »

Elizabeth Loftus, UC Irvine Distinguished Professor of Social Ecology, will receive the 2009 John P. McGovern Award Lecture in the Behavioral Sciences at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in February. The lecture honors prominent behavioral scientists from around the world. Past recipients include Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman. Loftus studies the malleability of human memory and applies her research to the legal field.   More »

Each year, the nation’s top law firms spend 3 to 5 percent of their time on pro bono work. That figure has inspired UC Irvine sociology graduate student Steven Boutcher to study the influence law firms have on social movements through the causes they choose to represent. Boutcher has received a $10,600 award from the National Science Foundation to analyze pro bono cases taken on by top firms over the past 10 years and determine whether patterns exist in the types of causes firms represent. "A significant chunk of social change is driven by elite lawyers in large law firms," says Boutcher, who notes that pro bono work has more than doubled across the nation's top 200 firms since 1998.   More »

UC Irvine history professor Sarah Farmer was recently awarded a fellowship from the National Humanities Center. The fellowship provides funding for Farmer and 41 other humanities scholars to travel to the center in Research Triangle Park, N.C., to conduct an individual research project and share ideas with other academics through seminars, lectures and conferences. Farmer’s research project is titled “Frenchmen into Peasants: Yearning for Country Life in Twentieth-Century France.” The National Humanities Center is a privately incorporated independent institute for advanced study in the humanities.   More »

Dr. Laura Mosqueda, the Reagan Endowed Chair in Geriatrics at UC Irvine, recently received the Donald N. Phelps Community Service Award from the Elder Financial Protection Network. Mosqueda (pictured) was honored for her contribution to elder financial abuse protection. In addition, Mosqueda will join other UCI geriatricians at the American Geriatric Society Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington next month. Dr. Lisa Gibbs will moderate a symposium on “Death by Neglect: What HealthCare Providers Need to Know;” Dr. Solomon Liao will moderate a pre-conference session on “Intervention and Prevention of Elder Mistreatment: Policy and Practical Implications for Practitioners,” and Mosqueda will speak at a pre-conference session on “Opportunities for Clinical Care and Education: The Importance of an Interdisciplinary Approach.”   More »

Robert Hine, history professor emeritus at UC Irvine, has received the 2008 Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, which honors emeriti professors in the University of California system. Hine is an iconic figure in the historiography of the American West and a prolific writer whose retirement publications include a critically acclaimed biography of philosopher Josiah Royce, two undergraduate textbooks in history, two memoirs and two soon-to-be-released historical novels.   More »

Joseph L. White, UC Irvine professor emeritus of social science, has been named San Francisco State University's 2008 Alumnus of the Year. He will be honored at the university's 107th annual commencement May 24. White has been widely recognized for his extensive contributions to psychology and is a founding member of the Association of Black Psychologists. He is considered by many the 'father' of black psychology and a pioneer in changing psychology to respect and understand the black community. In 2004, he received the UCI Alumni Association's highest honor --the Lauds and Laurels Extraordinarius Award. He is highly regarded for his teaching, research and mentoring of generations of students.   More »

UC Irvine's senior Mock Trial team walked away with a 12th place finish out of 64 teams at the Mock Trial National Championship Tournament in St. Paul, Minn., April 4. The trip marked the first time a UCI team made it to the national championship -- a significant achievement considering the UCI team was started just three years ago. UCI's team beat out competitors from Stanford and Duke, among other prestigious universities. First-year student Brisa Simmons took home an All American Attorney Award and Mitchell Davis, a junior history major, was presented with the All American Witness Award for his portrayal in trial of the "nerdy brother of the defendant." Individual awards were given to only 20 individuals among the tournament's 500 participants. The national tournament marked the end of a busy season for the UCI team, which collectively brought in six team and nine individual awards.   More »

Rein Taagepera, professor emeritus of political science at UC Irvine, has been awarded the Johan Skytte Prize for his analysis of the function of electoral systems in representative democracy. The Skytte Foundation is based at Uppsala University in Sweden and awards the prize annually to the scholar who has made the most valuable contribution to political science. Taagepera will accept the award and a $75,000 prize at a ceremony in Sweden in September.   More »

Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor of Social Ecology at UC Irvine, will receive an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oslo. The university is honoring Loftus for her achievements in the study of memory -- specifically the malleable nature of the human mind. The doctorate recognizes significant scientific contribution or work of outstanding quality furthering the scientific endeavor. Loftus will accept the award at a gala dinner in Oslo in September.   More »

Dr. John P. Fruehauf, associate professor of clinical medicine in the UC Irvine Department of Medicine, was recently named a 'Top Oncologist' by the Consumers Research Council of America. The council provides consumers with information on the highest ranked healthcare professionals and services throughout the U.S. Fruehauf's selection to the council's 2007 Guide to America's Top Oncologists was based on several factors, including his extensive training, experience and board certification in his specialty. His research is focused on mechanisms of drug action and resistance with the goal of improving therapeutic outcomes for cancer patients. His clinical interests include melanoma, renal cell cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.   More »

Dr. Jeff Suchard, associate professor of clinical emergency medicine in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, has received the inaugural Outstanding Contribution in Medical Toxicology Education Award from the American College of Medical Toxicology. This is the only teaching award given by the college and one of just three national awards. Suchard, an expert on the pharmacology and metabolism of drugs and intoxicants, has made a major mark on the national teaching scene through his outstanding work on the Clinical-Pathologic-Case Competition for the North American College of Clinical Toxicology. He has orchestrated this national case competition since 2001, and it has consistently been the most well-attended and reviewed session at the conference.   More »

The UC Irvine Police Department held its 2nd Annual Awards Celebration Thursday, March 6, at the University Club. Friends, family, community partners and campus staff heard Chief Paul Henisey describe partnerships with campus departments such as the Office of the Dean of Students, C.A.R.E and Environmental Health and Safety as well as neighboring police agencies and the Orange County Fire Authority. He also highlighted safety programs including rape prevention, alcohol education and car theft prevention. Receiving top UCIPD awards were Sgt. Eladio Acuna, Supervisor of the Year; Administrative Manager Marla Purcell, Civilian of the Year; and Cpl. Charles Chon, Officer of the Year. Star Awards also were presented to UCI staff members and community partners.   More »

The American College of Emergency Physicians has recognized Dr. Kristi Koenig, UC Irvine professor of emergency medicine, as a “Hero of Emergency Medicine.” The campaign, part of ACEP’s 40th anniversary, recognizes emergency physicians who have made significant contributions to emergency medicine, their communities and their patients. “Emergency physicians are on the front lines of America’s health care system, providing the essential community service of emergency care,” ACEP President Dr. Linda L. Lawrence said. “The dedication, passion and commitment Dr. Koenig has shown embodies the vision of ACEP’s founders and the ideals of our specialty.” Koenig, who also serves as director of public health awareness and co-director, EMS and Disaster Medical Sciences Fellowship at UCI, is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of homeland security, disaster and emergency medicine, emergency management, and emergency medical services.   More »

UC Irvine professors Alan F. Heyduk and Bill Tomlinson (pictured) have each been awarded a 2008 Sloan Research Fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards given to young researchers. Heyduk, an assistant professor of chemistry, is researching fundamental chemistry problems related to alternative energy. Tomlinson, an assistant professor of informatics and Calit2 affiliate, is interested in the relationship between information technology and environmental issues, human-computer interaction and educational technology. A total of 17 University of California faculty members received the honor this year. UCI researchers have received nine fellowships in the past five years.   More »

The Elsevier Foundation has awarded UC Irvine $87,500 over a three-year span to develop an innovative pilot program to address the unique challenges faced by scholars with family responsibilities. The Professional Development Grants Program for Faculty Parents of Infants and Toddlers will be administered by the UCI ADVANCE Program. Funding will provide dependent care assistance to qualifying tenure track faculty in science, technology, engineering and math for travel to professional conferences and meetings. The Elsevier Foundation’s New Scholars program supports initiatives that help scholars in science and technology balance childcare and family responsibilities during the early stages of their careers. “This nationally competitive award recognizes UCI’s ongoing commitment to gender equity and augments campus family-friendly resources for tenure-track faculty,” said history professor and ADVANCE Program director Douglas Haynes (pictured).   More »

Dr. Nitin Shah, UC Irvine clinical professor of anesthesiology, has received the 2007 Physician Service Award from the Indian Medical Association of Southern California. He has played a leading role in the free annual health fair at the Jain Center of Southern California and has participated in numerous other health fairs across the southland. In addition, he has led flu vaccine drives in Orange and San Diego counties and has organized and participated in efforts to provide advanced care to people in India by teams of U.S. healthcare providers.   More »

Eighty-two UC Irvine Healthcare physicians have been named to the 2007 Best Doctors in America list by Best Doctors, Inc., an independent database that includes 5 percent of the top doctors in the U.S. The list of “Best Doctors” was compiled using a peer-review process and survey that asked physicians to evaluate the skills and talents of other physicians in their specialty. Physicians were asked: “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer them?” The UC Irvine physicians were chosen for their breadth of experience, reliability and professionalism. The list of UC Irvine physicians can be seen on the Healthcare website.   More »

Henry Pontell, Criminology, Law & Society professor at UC Irvine, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture and conduct research at the University of Macau, China. Pontell will research economic crime and the region's casino gambling industry, teach a course on international white-collar and corporate crime, and advise the university's sociology department on curriculum issues. Pontell is one of about 800 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright Scholar Program. The purpose of the program is to build mutual understanding between people of the United States and the rest of the world.   More »

UC Irvine history professor Mike Davis recently received the 2007 Lannan Literary Award in Nonfiction and $150,000 for making “significant contributions to English-language literature.” The Lannan Literary Awards and Fellowships, established in 1989, recognize both up-and-coming and established writers who show potential for continued outstanding work. The Lannan Foundation supports artists and writers and promotes cultural freedom, diversity and creativity. Davis’s research interests are in world history, environmental history and U.S. urban history. He is currently working on a book about climate change, water and power in the American southwest.   More »

UC Irvine economics professor David Neumark recently was awarded part of a $2.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study the effects of employee-contingent health insurance plans on women with breast cancer. The study will compare the health of women who have employee-contingent health insurance and women with spouse-sponsored health plans. Early evidence suggests that women with employee-contingent health insurance were less likely to take time off work to address health related issues, suggesting these women may be foregoing needed medical treatment. Neumark was awarded a $350,000 subcontract of the grant and will work with Cathy Bradley of Virginia Commonwealth University.   More »

For her efforts to use art as a medium to raise social awareness, Rebecca Dawn Westerman was recently named UC Irvine’s 2007-08 Dalai Lama Scholar. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduates who show leadership potential and emphasize the ideals of ethics, peace and positive global relations. A senior art history major from Weaverville, Calif., Westerman traveled to Thailand and worked with local monks in an orphanage in summer 2006. She plans to use the scholarship to create a large-scale "Peace Flag" exhibit in spring 2008. UCI community members will be able to create their own flags with positive messages, which will be arranged in a circle along the 1-mile perimeter of Ring Road.   More »

Elisa Tamarkin, associate professor of English at UC Irvine, has been awarded the title of Chancellor’s Fellow, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2010. The title honors and recognizes scholars of exceptional value to the university, whose achievements in scholarship demonstrate extraordinary promise for world-class contributions to knowledge. The three-year honor includes $25,000 per year to support research efforts. Tamarkin will use the funding for her new book project “Irrelevance: The Scholarly Life in the Age of News,” which focuses on topics of relevant and irrelevant knowledge since 1830, and on the relationship between the academy and the press.   More »

Dr. David B. Hoyt, the John E. Connolly M.D. Professor and Chair of Surgery, has been awarded with the American College of Surgeons’ highest honor, the 2007 Distinguished Service Award. Hoyt was recognized for his service with the College and for his significant contributions to the field of trauma surgery. The College cited Hoyt as an architect and sustaining force of the San Diego Trauma System and for his natural leadership, integrity, vision and service as a role model to surgeons everywhere. Hoyt came to UC Irvine last year from UC San Diego. He oversees all surgical services and training provided through the Department of Surgery, which encompasses 10 surgical divisions and the highly acclaimed UC Irvine Regional Burn Center and Beckman Laser Institute. He was presented with the award Oct. 11 at the College’s Annual Meeting of Fellows in New Orleans.   More »

Dr. Ranjan Gupta, professor and chair of orthopaedic surgery in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, has won the Sterling Bunnell Award from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. The award is the most prestigious in the field and is given to a young American clinician who has made significant advances in the field of hand surgery. With the award, Gupta plans to travel to Europe and Asia to give lectures, participate in conferences and learn and share new surgical techniques. Gupta, 38, is also active in research and is currently working with a $1.7 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health to help find a cure for carpal tunnel syndrome and other chronic nerve-compression injuries.   More »

James Diego Vigil, professor of criminology, law & society at UC Irvine, will receive the Robert B. Textor and Family Prize for Excellence in Anticipatory Anthropology from the American Anthropological Association. The association will recognize Vigil’s fieldwork focusing on poor youth in Latino immigrant communities in Southern California. Vigil studies gang membership, patterns of educational achievement and parental involvement. He will receive the award at the association’s 106th annual meeting Nov. 28 in Washington, DC. The 10,000-member association is the world’s largest professional organization of anthropologists.   More »

Gov. Schwarzenegger honored UC Irvine education doctoral candidate Kurt Suhr as the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Principal of the Year Tuesday, Sept. 18. Suhr, principal of Newport Heights Elementary School, was recognized for his work in promoting physical education programs in elementary schools. He provided incentives for students who walked to school, and increased exercise opportunities during lunch and recess. Suhr started the Coordinated Approach to Children’s Health Physical Education program at Newport Heights, and more than 850 classrooms throughout the state have since adopted the program. Each year the Governor’s Council honors educators who go above and beyond their duties to promote physical activity. Suhr was recognized at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles and received $10,000 for physical education programming.   More »

Annette Burgueno, a UC Irvine alumna who graduated in June with a bachelor’s in sociology, was recently named a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship recipient. Designed to help young people of exceptional promise reach their full potential, the scholarship program awards up to $50,000 annually for up to six years of graduate study. Recipients are chosen for their academic achievement, financial need, will to succeed and leadership and community involvement. Burgueno grew up around neglect, poverty and drug abuse. She found hope through her deaf/mute grandmother. The first in her family to graduate from high school and college, Burgueno will pursue a master’s in social work at USC in the fall, and eventually work as an advocate on behalf of at-risk children and families. UCI’s first Jack Kent Cooke scholar, Burgueno is from Whittier, Calif.   More »

Seymour Menton, professor emeritus of Spanish and Portuguese, joined such literary figures as Carlos Fuentes and Carmen Laforet this month, when he was named to Sigma Delta Pi’s Order of Don Quijote. This is the highest honor from the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society and is conferred annually to less than 10 people around the world. “Menton’s exemplary record of scholarship has earned him this international distinction,” the society announced. Menton has taught at UC Irvine since 1965, serving as founding chair of the Department of Foreign Langauges and Literatures, and later of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.   More »

Dr. Roger L. Crumley, professor of otolaryngology-head & neck surgery at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, has been named president-elect of the American Laryngological Association at its annual meeting in San Diego. The association is the country’s oldest surgical sub-specialty society. Members have focused interest and expertise in speech, vocal cord and other laryngological disorders. Crumley will become president of the organization in May 2008. He specializes in facial, plastic and reconstructive surgery in addition to laryngology, and served as the president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery in the 1990s. He recently stepped down as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery after leading it for nearly 20 years.   More »

UC Irvine student Michael Q. Nguyen was recently selected one of five recipients of the Boy Scouts of America National Young American Award. Created in 1968, the award is given to college students who have demonstrated high achievement in academics and are involved in community service. Nguyen, a first-year biological sciences and public health double major, has been active in several local public service campaigns, serving as a translator with the Santa Ana Public Library and leading an effort that raised $50,000 for victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2004. Nguyen was recognized in a national meeting of the Boy Scouts in Atlanta, Ga. last week and received a $7,500 award.   More »

Maria Krish, a postdoctoral researcher in the UC Irvine Department of Chemistry, was selected Thursday, May 24 as one of five recipients of the L'Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science award. Krish researches properties of the surfaces of liquid solutions to help scientists understand the role that aerosol particles play in pollution and climate change. Each year the L’Oréal USA Fellowships recognize five up-and-coming female scientists to raise awareness of the contribution of women in the sciences and identify role models for younger generations. Fellows receive $40,000 to support their research and training to help advance their careers.   More »

The UCI Alumni Association will recognize National Medal of Science winner R. Duncan Luce with its Extraordinarius award at the 37th annual Lauds & Laurels ceremony. Luce, a pioneer in mathematical behavioral sciences, and 16 others will be honored May 10 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. Since 1971, UCIAA has bestowed awards to those alumni, colleagues, faculty, staff, students or community friends that demonstrate heartfelt dedication and commitment to UC Irvine.   More »