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Awards presented to Individuals
Associated with the Department of VCAPP

Academic/Student Successes

Congratulations to Neuroscience students Alan Emanuel and Eddie Rooney.  These students were awarded the 2009 Auvil Scholar Awards.  The Office of Undergraduate Research selected 22 students to receive the $1,000 scholarship award, which is to help fund their research. (November 9, 2009)

Brian Lee, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully passed his preliminary defense titled "Neurocircuitry Plasticity after Cocaine Exposure".  His defense was Monday, November 3, and his committee co-chairs are Drs. Barb Sorg and Yan Dong, both of VCAPP.

Ranganath Mamidi, graduate student in VCAPP and the Veterinary Science Program, successfully passed his preliminary defense titled "Role of the N-terminal Domain of Troponin T in Cardiac Muscle Contractile Activation on October 16, 2009.  His committee chair is Dr. Murali Chandra of VCAPP.

Steven Ford, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully passed his preliminary defense titled "Role of Interacitons Between Helical Regions fo Troponin T and Troponin I in Regulating Cardiac Myofilament Activation on October 13, 2009.  His committee chair is Dr. Murali Chandra.

On October 15, 2009, Jasmine Ware, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully passed her preliminary defense titled "Endocrine and Behavioral Indices of Seasonality in the Grizzly Bear: A Multi-Dimensional Approach."  Jasmine's committee chair is Dr. Heiko Jansen.

Jenny Browning, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully passed her preliminary defense titled "Uncovering the Photoperiodic Modulation of Reinstatement of Drug-Seeking on September 24.  Jenny's mentor is Dr. Heiko Jansen

James Clinton, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully presented and defended his Preliminary Exam defense seminar, Thursday, September 3, 2009.  The seminar was titled "Activity-dependent production of sleep regulatory substances: The role of the P2X7 receptr in sleep."  His committee chair is Dr. James Krueger.

Reka Natarajan, graduate student in VCAPP and the Neuroscience Program, successfully presented and defended her Final Exam defense seminar Monday, August 17, 2008.  The seminar was titled The involvement of matrix metalloproteinases in nicotine conditioned place preference in adolescent female rats.  Her committee chair is Dr. Joseph Harding.  Congratulations Dr. Natarajan.

Service Awards:
Jeanne Jensen and Stewart Bohnet both achieved their silver anniversary at WSU this year (2009).  Each was made a Quarter Century club member and honored gifts to commemorate the event.

Bea O'Neill was awarded her 20-year service award, and Becky Morton and Thu Dinh each earned a 25-year award. (2008)

VCAPP Mentors Earn Appreciation
Several VCAPP department members were recently nominated to be recognized as "Mentor of the Year" at the annual Women and Leadership forum.  In all, 184 people nominated 144 mentors from around the WSU campus.  VCAPP's nominees include: Sandi Brabb, and Krzysztof Czaja.  Rebecca Craft (adjunct) was also nominated for the honor.

New ASWSU Leader is Neuroscience Student
Derick En'Wezoh, an undergraduate Neuroscience major, was recently elected as the new ASWSU president for the 2009-10 school year.  Derick and his running mate, Jay Hendrickson, won the election 2,129 votes against 1,450 and 862.

Fellows of the American Association for Advancement of Science
Dr. Bryan K Slinker (former VCAPP Chair and acting Dean of the CVM) is among 486 individuals nationwide to be named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year "because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications (December 2008).

Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award
Dr. Sue Ritter, professor in the Department of VCAPP, has been named the winner of the annual Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Research, Scholarship and Arts.  She will be honored at the Showcase banquet on March 27, 2009

GPSA Excellence in Advising
Dr. David Rector, Assistant Professor in the Department of VCAPP, has been awarded the fall 2008 GPSA Excellence Honor in Advising.  The Graduate and Professional Student Association accepted nominations for excellence in advising during the fall semester.  Students were asked to nominate advisors who have gone "above and beyond" in their work with graduate and professional students, and Dr. Rector was selected as one who "set himself apart amongst his students."

2008 Newberry Scholar
Dr. Patrick Wilson was named as one of the 2008 Jerry Newbrey Teaching Scholars for excellence in teaching during the first 3 years of the veterinary core curriculum.  This honor is awarded to faculty who, according to the CVM's standardized student evaluations, score in the top 20th percentile of the college on the query "Rate the Instructor."  For consideration as a Newbrey Teaching Scholar, a faculty member must teach at least 10% of a course in the core curriculum (or have at least 6 contact hours) and receive evaluations from at least 50% of the veterinary students enrolled in the course.  Scholars are recognized each spring for achievement in the previous calendar year.  This award honors Jerry Newbrey, who was a member of the VCAPP department from late 1970s to 1991.

Governor Selects Neuroscience Student as Regent:
Washington State's Governor Gregoire has appointed Derick En'Wezoh of Pullman to the 2008-2009 Student Regent post for Washington State University. His appointment as student regent was effective
July 8, 2008 and will end June 30, 2009. En’Wezoh is a student in the College of Veterinary Medicine, majoring in neuroscience with a pre-med emphasis. He will be a junior during the 2008–09 academic year. He was a member of DECA and the National Honor Society while in high school. At WSU, he served as Associated Students of Washington State University senator in his sophomore year and volunteers with several organizations, including Relay for Life, the American Red Cross and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. He is also a volunteer with senior citizen organizations in Pullman. The board of regents serves as the governing body for Washington State University. Student regents serve a one-year term.

 

Mentor Award
Becky Morton was the winner of the AP Mentor of the Year award given in 2008 as part of the Women in Leadership Forum (see related information). Also nominated (from VCAPP) were Sandi Brabb (AP), Pam Colbert (AP), and Barbara Sorg (Faculty).  Congratulations to all of these selfless mentors.

APAC Award
Sandra (Sandi) Brabb has received one of two APAC Service awards (see related story).

CVM Award
Jeanne Jensen received one of the CVM Employee Excellence Awards announced at the annual Dean's CVM barbecue in 2008 (see related story)

Crimson Spirit Award
Heather Cochran has won the Crimson Spirit Award for September 2009. Laura Kinslow was honored with the Crimson Spirit Award in July 2008.  This award is presented to individuals who go "above and beyond" in performing their job duties (see more information).

Past Teaching Award
Patrick Wilson, Patricia Talcott and Leslie Sprunger of VCAPP were selected as Jerry Newberry Teaching Scholars for the Fall 2007 semester of teaching in the College of Veterinary Medicine. This award is given for excellence in teaching during the first 3 years of the veterinary curriculum. http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/awards/faculty07.aspx

Recent Funding Awards

NSF Grant:

Anita Vasavada, assistant professor of bioengineering and VCAPP, recently received an NSF Career grant to examine postural stability of the head and neck.  See related article.

ADA Awards:
Heiko Jansen ($26,673) Note: Heiko's student, Alex Bond also received $2,020
Barb Sorg ($35,000)
Yan Dong/Travis Brown ($26,250)

Hope Foundation:
Gary Wayman ($110,000/over 2 years)
Jaak Panksepp/Dan Guerra ($110,000/over 2 years)

NIH:
Mike Varnum (resubmission/renewal: full $250,000 per year for 4 years)
Bob Ritter (resubmission/renewal from NINDS: 4 years, $218,750 per year)

Pfizer Contract:
Steve Simasko ($187,800 1 year)

UW/Life Science Discovery Fund (LDSF):
Dave Rector ($143,675 over 3 years)

Poncin Scholars:
3rd Year Award Renewal: Jennifer Schei, VCAPP/Physics PhD student (Dr. David Rector, advisor)
2nd Year Award Renewals: Deborah Duricka, VCAPP/Neuroscience PhD Student (Dr. Michael Varnum, advisor)
1st Year Awards: Huan Zhao, VCAPP/Neuroscience PhD Student (Dr. Steve Simasko, advisor)
(see other graduate Student Awards: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/awards/grad.aspx

Other Scholarships/Fellowships
Steven Ford, second-year graduate student, has received a WSU Graduate Student Travel Grant.  Steven's was one of 38 such awards made for the Feb-May 2009 period.  Steven also was awarded the NASA SpaceGrant Science Opportrunity Fellowship for 2009.  The NASA award includes $2,500 to support Steven's research, under the mentorship of Dr. Murali Chandra.

Rose Marie Larios earned the Dr. Philip Gollnick Scholarship (April 2006).

Alexandra Bond, incoming Neuroscience student, has been honored as the recipient of the Neuroscience Endowed Scholarship.  Alexandra's interests as a neuroscience undergraduate student are in the pre-medicine/dentistry area.A number of additional undergraduate neuroscience awards have been received over the last year.  Those honored with scholarships or special recognition include Derick En'Wezoh, Darren Roland Plummer, Omar Bayomy, Alexandra Bond, Emiko Namatame, Rachel WAnty, Jamie Gaber, Steven Houmes, Katrina Huskie, Roxanne Rich, Rajat Singh, Carlyn Claire Zylstra, and Jessica Lee Lac.  Please see recipient details:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/awards/undergrad.aspx

Congratulations to five neuroscience students who were announced as 2008 Auvil Fellow award winners.  Thirty-one students were selected for the award and each will receive $1000 to help fund their research. Neuroscience award winners include Rachelle Edwards (mentor Catherine Ulibarri);  Stephen Houmes (mentor Barbara Sorg); Stephanie Leggett (mentor Michael Varnum; Timothy Lyons (mentor Michiyo Hirai-psychology);  and Amy Van Nortwick (mentor David Rector).  For additional information: http://undergraduateresearch.wsu.edu/newsevents/news/auvilawards10-08/

MORE HONORS:
Adie Wilson, graduate student in the Neuroscience Program, successfully presented her Preliminary Oral Examination Seminar on Thursday, February 19, 2009.  Her committee chair is Dr. Michael Morgan, VCAPP/Psychology, WSU Vancouver.

BobRitter
Dr. Robert Ritter was selected to present at the Chancellor's Seminar Series on February 13, 2009.  His presentation was titled "Gut Feelings: How the Gut Tries to Tell the Brain to Stop."

 

 

 

 

John "Jack" Hershey successfully defended his PhD in the Neuroscience program Tuesday, November 4th (2008).  His dissertation is titled "Minimal Disuse Muscle Atrophy and Seasonal Alteration in the Calcium Handling System in Skeletal Muscle of Hibernating Brown Bears."  Jack's major advisor is Dr. DAvid Lin, Dept. of VCAPP and Biological Systems Engineering.

Neuroscience's very own Min-Kyung Park, who graduated this spring and will be starting vet school here in the fall, is featured on the 2008-2009 WSU Catalog (see link).    What a fun cover!

Thu Dinh was recently honored for her 25 years of service to Washington State University. OTHER_HONORS.  She received a service award and a quarter century club membership certificate.  Thu has been with Sue Ritter's lab all of those 25 years.

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