IOWA CITY, IOWA (March 23, 2021) — Janiece Maddox was one of the undergraduate or graduate students at the University of Iowa who — like Iowa faculty and staff — continued making great strides in research, scholarship, and innovation this past tumultuous year as stand-out investigators, inventors, and mentors.

Maddox is from Davenport, Iowa, and is majoring in Art at Iowa.

While the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) had to forego a public ceremony recognizing their work, Vice President for Research Marty Scholtz said it's just as valued and essential to advance understanding in medicine, engineering, the arts, and the humanities.

“While some of the work honored by these awards began prior COVID-19, it's incredible that these researchers and scholars have been able to continue making tremendous progress in spite of the monumental challenges of this past year,” Scholtz said. “We're grateful for all these faculty members, staff, and students do to support the university's mission and bring new light to ongoing challenges in the world today.”

New this year is OVPR's Advancing Understanding in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award, which Scholtz said is in support of the UI's strategic goals and honors scholarship around this urgent and complex topic.

“Diversity is essential to the health of the natural world that we study, and it's just as essential to the health of the research enterprise,” he said.

In addition to a slate of awards given each year by OVPR and the Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates (ICRU), the UI Research Foundation recognizes researchers whose intellectual property was either patented, optioned, or licensed for further commercial development and use.

Student Awards

Enrique (David) Degollado PhD, postdoctoral scholar in language education, in the College of Education Department of Teaching and Learning, and Rachael Filwett PhD, postdoctoral research scholar in the CLAS Department of Physics and Astronomy, were each given Postdoctoral Research Scholar/Fellow Excellence Awards. This award honors postdoctoral research scholar and fellow research performance and scholarly activity that is recognized as highly-original work and makes a significant contribution to the field.

Three students were given Graduate Research Excellence Awards: Umar Iqbal, PhD candidate in the CLAS Department of Computer Science; Alex Lange, PhD candidate in the College of Education Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies; and Sara Reed, PhD candidate in the Graduate College's Applied Mathematical and Computational Sciences program. The Graduate Research Excellence Awards honor students in terminal degree programs conducting research and scholarly activity that is recognized as highly-original work and makes a significant contribution to the field.

Five students received ICRU's Excellence in Undergraduate Research Awards: Joshua Doucette, a junior working in CLAS toward a bachelor of science degree in physics and mathematics, with a minor in computer science; Janiece Maddox, a junior working on a bachelor of fine arts degree in ceramics from CLAS; Anvay Pradhan, a junior working on a bachelor of science in engineering in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, with a mathematics minor; Laura Weiler, a junior working in CLAS on a bachelor of arts degree in physics and bachelor of science degree in computer science, with a minor in philosophy; and Evita Woolsey, a junior working in CLAS on a bachelor of arts degree in Speech and Hearing Science, with an American Sign Language minor. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in scholarly investigation, artistic creation, or performance by undergraduates at the UI.

Faculty Awards

Edwin "Ted" Abel PhD, professor, Roy J Carver Chair in Neuroscience; director of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology in the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (CCOM), and Kathleen Sluka PT/PhD, professor, CCOM Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, were named Scholars of the Year. The award celebrates nationally-recognized recent achievement in outstanding research, scholarly, and/or creative activities by tenure- and/or research-clinical-track faculty members within the previous 24-month period.

Katharine Broton PhD, assistant professor in the College of Education's Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, and Mary Weber PhD, assistant professor in the CCOM Department of Microbiology and Immunology, were named Early Career Scholars of the Year. The award honors assistant professors in tenure-track, research-track, or clinical-track positions at the UI who are currently involved in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity and show promise of making a significant contribution to their field.

Stanley Perlman MD/PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology professor of pediatrics, and Mark Stinski, Chair in Virology in CCOM's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, were given the Leadership in Research Award. This is a lifetime-achievement award recognizing research and scholarly accomplishments over a career.

Barcey Levy MD/PhD, professor of Family Medicine and Iowa Academy of Family Physicians Endowed Chair of Rural Medicine in CCOM's Department of Family Medicine, was given the Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research award. The award recognizes an individual faculty member who has put addressing public needs and direct engagement with the public, in the service of improving quality of life through research, at the forefront of his or her academic activities.

Garrett Stewart PhD, the James O Freedman Professor of Letters in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Department of English, was given the Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Humanities Research Award. This award honors distinguished achievement in humanities scholarship and work in the creative, visual and performing arts.

Ashley Howard PhD, assistant professor of African American Studies in the CLAS Department of History, was given the Faculty Communicating Ideas Award. This award recognizes excellence in communication about research and scholarship in the sciences and humanities and the study of creative, visual and performing arts to a general audience directly or via print and electronic media.

Lori Adams PhD, director of the Iowa Biosciences Advantage Program and associate professor of instruction in the CLAS Department of Biology, was given the inaugural Advancing Understanding in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize research, scholarship, or creative expression conducted within the past three-year period that advances our understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Rainbo Hultman PhD, assistant professor in CCOM's Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, and Maurine Neiman PhD, associate professor in the CLAS Department of Biology and Department of Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies, received the Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates (ICRU) Distinguished Mentor Awards. The award honors the work that mentors put in to make their students' experiences successful.

Staff Awards

Teresa Garringer, Research Support Manager for the College of Education Dean's Office and Grants and Research Services Center, was given the Distinguished Research Administrator Award. The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the University of Iowa by exploring funding opportunities, assisting in grant-proposal preparation, submission, post-award administration, and operational support.

Scott Bounds PhD, associate research scientist in CLAS's Department of Physics and Astronomy, was named a Distinguished Research Professional. The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the University of Iowa by conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing results, and performing operational duties associated with a laboratory or research program.

Safety Award

Christina Cifra MD/MS, clinical associate professor in CCOM's Department of Pediatrics, was given the Innovation in Safety Award, which celebrates exceptional and ground-breaking innovations that advance safety at the UI.

About the University of Iowa

As a top global university, Iowa is the ideal destination for learning, discovery, and innovation. We bring art and science together to create a truly unique interdisciplinary education. With over 200 areas of study to choose from, students are encouraged to mix and match majors, minors, and certificates to earn a degree that reflects their unique interests.

From inside our world-class medical center to the most prestigious creative-writing program in the US, students have access to quality academic support and are equipped with the tools they need to stand out in a competitive workforce. Our 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio allows students to work directly with experts in their field while earning valuable, practical skills.

Our campus seamlessly blends into the heart of downtown Iowa City, making it easy to access academic resources and belong to a larger, welcoming community. With over 500 student organizations, clubs, and communities on campus, and countless in-town events scheduled throughout the year, Iowa makes it easy to build a network of friendships and connections that last a lifetime.

To learn more about the University of Iowa, click HERE..

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