2008 Honors Convocation

Dr. Rick Bevins
Professor, Department of Psychology
2008 College Oustanding Research and Creative Activity Award

Dr. Bevin's research contributions to the field of psychology bridge the areas of psychopharmacology, behavioral neuroscience, animal learning/cognition, and immunology. The goal of his research program is to develop and use pre-clinical rodent models as a tool to elucidate the factors involved in the etiology of substance abuse. His program can be broken into four key research areas: acquired environment/drug associations; acquired motivation and choice behavior; drugs as Pavlovian cutes; and, immunotherapies for nicotine addiction.

His tremendous scholarly productivity and impact across these areas is well known to many of you. Since 2003, Dr. Bevins has published in 29 peer-reviewed publications, and has also written eight book chapters and compiled two edited volumes of the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. The importance of his work is evidenced by not only his grant success—which is significant—but by the number of invited lectures and keynote speeches he has delivered.

He is also active with his students and colleagues, and in the past five years has given more than 60 presentations at national and international conferences. In 2006, he was made a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. James Takacs
Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry
2008 College Oustanding Research and Creative Activity Award

Since arriving at UNL in 1988, Dr. Takacs, Charles Bessey professor of chemistry, has built an international reputation in organometallic chemistry. He is particularly well-known in the field of catalytic metal-mediated reactions, energy and material-efficient processes in which each metal atom or cluster promotes hundreds or thousands of cycles of a desired reaction. In recent years, Dr. Takacs has become a leader in this field for his remarkable approach to catalyst development and optimization.

His research has resulted in nearly 100 publications, nearly two decades of NIH support, as well as support from the Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Sponsored Research, and most recently the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society. His expertise is recognized in both the academic and industrial communities. It should also be noted that Dr. Takacs’s research achievements do not outshine his major contributions to teaching, university service and service to the profession. He has mentored dozens of master's and doctoral students, as well as a large number of research undergraduates and post-docs. He is an effective and popular lecturer in some of the chemistry department's largest lecture and lab classes.

I believe it's also worth noting that one of his research projects—which proposed a reduction in greenhouse gases via the suppression of methane formation in cattle—was mentioned in a Saturday Night Live skit, and may well be the only UNL research to ever receive such attention!

Dr. Robert Brooke
Professor of English
2008 Hazel R. McClymont Distinguished Teaching Fellow Award

Robert Brooke has been an outstanding teacher at UNL for more than 20 years. He is a nationally recognized scholar of writing pedagogy, and a leader in writing development across the state of Nebraska. Throughout his career, he has been engaged in innovative curriculum development, and in his first years at UNL, he led efforts to develop and reshape the composition programs in keeping with current scholarship.

Dr. Brooke has been an especially effective leader in representing and sponsoring the intellectual work of teaching. He has led faculty in developing processes for translating research findings into program and course design, guiding principles for writing instruction, and strategies for mentoring graduate teaching assistants.

Perhaps Dr. Brooke's most well known work has been his leadership of the Nebraska Writing Project. Director of the project since 1993, he has taught hundreds of K-12 teachers to value and practice writing, to become scholars of writing in their classrooms, and to construct pedagogies and assessment methods that support student writers.

Dr. Richard Wiener
Professor of psychology and law
Director of the Law and Psychology Program
2008 Charles Bessey Professorship

Dr. Wiener is known for his systematic and rigorous study of how juries comprehend, or don't comprehend, sentencing instructions in capital death penalty cases. His work has shown that jury errors are not random, but in fact follow identifiable patterns. Peers describe his work as methodical and theory-driven, and it has won praise nationwide.

He is a highly-productive scholar with more than 80 publications; he is a frequent invited lecturer at conferences and academic proceedings. He is a past editor of the premier journal in his discipline, "Law and Human Behavior."

Since assuming leadership of UNL's Law and Psychology Program in 2002, Dr. Wiener has elevated an already prestigious program to one of the country's leading programs. Additionally he has attracted more than $1.4 million in National Science Foundation funding.

Dr. Eileen Hebets
Assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences
2008 Harold and Esther Edgerton Junior Faculty Award

Dr. Hebets studies the evolution of communication among various arachnids—spiders and such. Her work is supported by a Searle Scholars Program Fellowship and a National Science Foundation CAREER grant.

In her laboratory, she explores the evolution and diversification of animal communication systems. She studies how the combination of receiver sensory systems and signaling environment influence ultimate signal form. Her current research focuses on the evolution and function of complex signaling using various arachnid groups as model systems. Research projects in her lab are very integrative and incorporate analyses and techniques across multiple analytical levels, which provides a fantastic learning experience for her students.

"From personal experience," Dr. Hebets recently said, "I know the impact that a college professor can have on the future direction of undergraduates, not only in their professional, but also in their personal lives. While a major goal of higher education is to enhance a student’s ability to think critically and independently, I believe that instilling and nurturing a student’s enthusiasm and excitement for science is equally important. Once students are interested, learning comes naturally. In my teaching I aim to capture the imagination of my students – to draw them in to the wonders of the natural world around them."

Dr. Hebets believes that hands-on experience is critical for engaging students. Her research program provides numerous possibilities for undergraduate involvement and she believes that one of the most fulfilling aspects of her job is incorporating undergraduates into her research.

Marco Abel
Assistant Professor in the Department of English
2008 College Distinguished Teaching Award

Marco Abel's research focuses on violence in contemporary American literature and film, German cinema, European cinema, and continental philosophy. In his classroom at UNL, Dr. Abel has been a provocateur since 2004.

"I strongly believe that teaching presents an experimental challenge that requires the continual willingness and ability of both students and myself to respond to changing situations and materials," he recently said. "However, discovery necessarily incorporates chance. You cannot start a true experiment knowing what you will get in the end. For example, a software writer must run a program to discover what it actually does. The experimental quality of my teaching philosophy forces me to welcome chance encounters—unforeseen circumstances that must be responded to on their own terms, rather than being approached based on a set of preexisting rules. I approach all of my classes with the impetus to provoke my students in such a manner that whatever they learn in my class inspires them to mobilize that experience in other environments."

Alan Christensen
Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences
2008 College Distinguished Teaching Award

With a research interest in genetics and molecular biology, Dr. Christensen's current work looks at how DNA replicates and recombines in plant mitochondria. His primary teaching goal is to help students in his genetics courses gain significantly improved problem-solving and analytical thinking skills.

"Teaching genetics presents both challenges and opportunities for helping students to improve these skills that I hope will last them for the rest of their lives," he said. "Among the challenges of teaching genetics are that it is frequently the most analytical and quantitative area of biology they have encountered, and that in addition to mastering a knowledge set, students with varying learning styles will analyze data and solve problems they have not seen before. A genetics course is an opportunity for them to stretch their mental limits, connect some of 'the dots' for themselves, and have some 'Aha!' moments that increase their insights."

In honor of 14 years of 'Aha!' moments, Dr. Christensen received this award.

T. Adrian George
Professor of Chemistry
2008 College Distinguished Teaching Award

T. Adrian George has focused his research on understanding how atmospheric nitrogen is converted by organisms into ammonia, the precursor for amino acids and proteins. The absorbing work engages chemists, biologists, biochemists, enzymologists, geneticists and microbiologists.

"My overall goals for student learning are to develop their understanding of the core concepts and fundamental knowledge of chemistry," he said. He recently employed "personal response system" (aka clicker) technology, which allows more student interaction and immediate reward for participation.

"In the fall of 1968," he said, "I arrived at the University of Nebraska as a new assistant professor of chemistry with no teaching experience. I learned many important lessons that first semester. One was that enthusiasm goes a long way to keeping students interested. Another was that honesty is the best policy. I learned that admitting a mistake in class did not diminish but enhanced students’ respect for me. And treating students with respect went a long way to developing positive student-instructor relationships."

Mark Griep
Professor of Chemistry
2008 College Distinguished Teaching Award

Mark Griep's research emphasis is the search for new antibiotics that target DNA replication enzymes. The topic engages undergraduate students who enjoy working in Dr. Griep's labs. He has also been an in-demand classroom teacher throughout his 18 years at UNL.

"My teaching philosophy is that students are more eager to learn when the material is engaging and fun," he said recently. "When that nexus coincides with things that are relevant to their life and career, then so much the better. That way, they learn the chemical of view of activities that interest them and how chemistry has an impact on their life. They discover new ways to explain what stuff is made of and how things work. They also learn how the public uses these facts when it considers issues of public importance."

Since 2002, Dr. Griep has used depictions of chemists and chemistry in movies to enhance his teaching. He is co-author with Marjorie Mikasen of a book, "Chemistry in the Movies," to be published in 2009.

Nicholas Spencer
Associate Professor of English
2008 College Distinguished Teaching Award and 2008 Annis Chaikin Sorensen Award

In his 10 years at UNL, Dr. Spencer has focused on 20th century American fiction and critical theory. In 2006, the University of Nebraska Press published his book "After Utopia: The Rise of Critical Space in Twentieth-Century American Fiction." He is a highly sought-out professor, and among courses he regularly teaches are Spatial Theory, Post-Modern American Fiction, Utopianism and American Fiction, and Contemporary Culture. He is, according to his colleagues, one of the most effective and admired teachers in his very strong department, and is especially committed to immersing students—and fellow professors—in the intellectual work of the humanities. He approaches his courses and mentoring with a strong vision of humanities education as a tool for developing critical thinking.

Dr. Spencer's teacher evaluation numbers are off the charts; in fact, he won this very College Distinguished Teaching Award in 2001. His teaching expertise has, according to his colleagues, had a profound influence on the department's teaching culture. From his innovations in curriculum development to his participation in the Peer Review of Teaching Project, to his many presentations at pedagogical workshops and his mentoring of graduate students—as well as his mentoring of younger faculty members—he has helped create an engaging, dynamic teaching environment.

Clearly, Dr. Spencer has made a distinguished contribution to his students, colleagues and to the College of Arts & Sciences, reflected in this double honor.

Wendy O'Connor
Chief Academic Adviser for the School of Biological Sciences
2008 Student Foundation/Builders Award for Academic Advising

"I am an Academic Adviser," Ms. O'Connor has said. "It is not what I do. It is who I am."

Now in her 12th year at UNL, she takes a very personal approach to academic advising.

Acknowledging the impact that outside-the-classroom issues have on student success helps Ms. O'Connor discuss with students problem-solving skills, recognition of the student's role in their academic and life goals, the level of responsibility they share in shaping the direction and outcome of such goals.

"I consider every student who walks through my door to be my charge," she said. "She is not my client, my customer, and in some cases not even my advisee, but in all cases, she is my charge. That my responsibilities to students begin with class schedules and graduation requirements is a given. However, I believe that having a holistic approach that focuses on an awareness of the whole person is absolutely critical to that person's academic success."

Previous Recipients

Charles Braithwaite
Professor, Communications Studies
The Master Teacher Award

The award is from The Western States Communication Association for sustained excellence and innovation in college teaching.

As senior lecturer, he specializes in intercultural communication, teaching courses such as conflict management, communication in international organizations, interviewing and nonverbal communication. He is interested in Native American higher education, and has conducted extensive research on the Navajo nation.

Bill McLaughlin
Professor of Chemistry
The Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award

He invests time, energy and passion into his teaching, and it shows. Students pack his sections, give him highly favorable evaluations, and report that he is honestly interested in how students perform.

Lawrence Harshman
Professor of Biological Sciences
The People Who Inspire Award

Mr. Harshman is the faculty adviser of the Humanities in Medicine undergraduate association. He researches genomics and metabolomics. He investigates the mechanism of lifespan extension, using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) model.

He is a four-time Mortar Board recipient and has received more than 20 other awards and acknowledgements.

Charles Riedesel
Chief undergraduate advisor, computer science and engineering

In the last 7 years, Charles coached four teams of undergraduates so that they advanced to the international round of the ACM International Programming Contest (sponsored by IBM) by placing in the top 2 or 3 slots at the regional level against up to 180 other teams. In April 2005 the international competition was held in Shanghai, China.

Will Spaulding
Psychology professor

Developed an internationally recognized treatment program for people living with chronic mental illness. His work with the Lincoln Regional Center has become a model for hospitals and other facilities around the globe.

Parks Coble
Professor of history
2005 Outstanding Research and Creativity Award

A leader in research on China and Japan, Coble is an expert in the field of comparative world history, especially concerning the relationship between the two Asian superpowers. Parks is a leader in the efforts of those countries to overcome the legacy of World War II.

Anthony Starace<
Professor of physics and astronomy
2005 Outstanding Research and Creativity Award

Anthony is an international leader in the theoretical study of photoionization processes, and in the interaction of strong electromagnetic fields with matter. His research group focuses on intense laser-atom interactions, known as strong field physics. He has written more than 150 articles in prominent publications to date and often advises other researchers worldwide in the field about what physics problems to work on.

Charles Wood
Professor of biological sciences, is a pioneer in the study of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that leads to AIDS. His efforts have drawn top biomedical researchers to UNL.

Les Whitbeck

Sociology professor

In cooperation with five U.S. American Indian reservations and five Canadian First Nations Reserves, Les has conducted research on risk and resiliency factors that contribute to early-onset alcohol and drug use.

Ken Price

English Professor

Ken is a nationally-known expert on poet Walt Whitman. At UNL he is continuing his work on creating a searchable, Web-based resource of the influential author's works.

John Turner

Classics and Religious Studies Professor

He is one of very few scholars in the world entrusted with the translation, publication, and interpretation of the Nag Hammadi codices, important texts from the second century A.D.

Gary Moulton

The History professor has won international acclaim for editing a 13-volume edition of the journals of Lewis and Clark.

Xiao Cheng Zeng

The chemistry professor is universally recognized as one of the leading physical chemists in the world.