Media Relations
Press Release:
MEDIA CONTACT: Gisele Galoustian
561-297-2010,
ggaloust@fau.edu
FAU Announces Researchers and
Scholars of the Year
BOCA RATON, FL (April 15, 2010) – Florida Atlantic
University’s Division of Research announced the 2010
“Researchers and Scholars of the Year” at the Honors
Convocation on April 14. Each year, FAU’s University Research
Committee (URC) selects faculty to be recognized by the university
for outstanding research, scholarly and creative contributions.
Awards are presented at the academic ranks of professor, associate
professor and assistant professor in two categories: sponsored and
project-oriented research; and creative and scholarly activities
research. This year, the URC selected six nominees to receive these
awards.
Scholar of the Year – Professor
Mark H. Rose, Ph.D., Professor, Department of History, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Inspired by his experiences being born and raised in Chicago
in the 1940s and 50s, Mark Rose studies and teaches the social and
policy bases of American life in the 20th Century. He is the author
of more than 30 articles in such journals as the
Journal of Urban History,
Technology and Culture and the
Journal of Policy History
. Rose is also the author of
several books including
Interstate: Express Highway Politics
, Cities of Light and
Heat, and
The Best Transportation System in the World.
He is currently working on two books—the first
of which focuses on the politics of economic change in Chicago, St.
Louis and Philadelphia since 1945, and the second which focuses on
the politics of American finance since 1970. Rose’s research
has been supported by agencies including the National Endowment for
the Humanities, the National Science Foundation and the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Researcher of the Year – Associate Professor
Robert W. Stackman, Jr., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Through his cutting-edge research, Robert Stackman is
investigating brain mechanisms that support memory. He is providing
insights into the brain systems that are compromised in human
diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases due
to aging. Stackman has identified a role for a specific class of
potassium ion channels, called SK channels, found in the brain
region called the hippocampus. He discovered that blocking SK
channels with a specific peptide found in bee venom facilitates
learning or the encoding of new explicit memories in rodents. This
past June, Stackman received a five-year, $1.4 million grant from
the National Institute of Mental Health to further investigate his
research in this area. Data from his research suggest that SK
channels may be a target for the development of drug treatments to
combat age-related memory loss. A second line of research he is
conducting, also in rodents, seeks to define the brain mechanisms
responsible for the cognitive impairing effects of alcohol.
Stackman’s research on alcohol was funded by a two-year grant
from the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.
Scholar of the Year – Associate Professor
Diane Green, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Social Work, College of Architecture, Urban and Public Affairs
Diane Green
’s research has focused on the stress and coping
processes for victims of violent and nonviolent crime, the
effectiveness of mental health interventions, and grief and loss
issues. Her scholarship provides a useful toolkit that is well
grounded in theory and empirical research, and tempered with
substantial practical experience. Through her research, Green is
committed to providing colleagues in her field with information and
knowledge that will enhance their capacity to serve victims. During
the past five years, she has published 27 articles, eight book
chapters and a book, and has presented her work at ten conferences.
Green’s work extends beyond the classroom and textbooks, and
provides an application of everyday knowledge in everyday work with
victims of crime for students and victim service providers. Among
her many accolades includes being honored twice by her college
during the past five years as the “Outstanding Educator
MacAward.”
Researcher of the Year – Assistant Professor
Stephen M. Kajiura, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Featured on internationally renowned programs including the
Discovery Channel and
BBC television, and in
National Geographic, Stephen Kajiura has elevated
FAU’s visibility and reputation as a leading center for the
study of shark biology and behavior. His research focuses on the
sensory systems of sharks, specifically electroreception, vision
and smell. During his six-year tenure at FAU, Kajiura has been
awarded 12 grants totaling more than $926,000, including a $190,000
grant from the National Science Foundation. In addition to being a
lead author in several peer-reviewed publications, Kajiura works
closely with his students to ensure publication of their research
in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals. These efforts have resulted
in nine additional co-authored publications, including one that is
currently in press and another in review. Kajiura and his students
present their research at scientific conferences at least two times
a year to further elevate FAU’s visibility in the scientific
community. In fact, his reputation precedes him. In 2009 alone,
nearly 60 students from around the world requested admission to his
lab as a graduate student or post-doctoral researcher.
Scholar of the Year – Assistant Professor
Raphael Dalleo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, English Department, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Raphael Dalleo teaches U.S. Latino/Latina, Caribbean and
postcolonial literatures and cultural studies. Since 2005, he has
published a co-authored book along with eight journal articles and
book chapters. Dalleo also received a highly competitive $30,000
fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies to
complete a manuscript on Caribbean literary history, which is now
under review at the University of Virginia Press. His book, titled
“The Latino/a Canon and the Emergence of Post-Sixties
Literature,” is his most significant publication, and has
received excellent reviews from top scholars in the journals
MELUS, Anthurium, Latino(a) Research Review and
Latino Studies. His book traces the shift from a Civil
Rights to a post-sixties Latino/a literature and the critical
reception of these writers.
Dalleo’s research is connected by his
interest in how writers have imagined literature’s role in
society. He currently serves on the international advisory
board of the journal
Latino Studies. Dalleo’s essays have appeared in
journals such as
Small Axe,
Postcolonial Studies,
South Asian Review, and
Diaspora.
Researcher of the Year – Assistant Professor
Francisco J. Presuel-Moreno, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Since joining FAU in the summer of 2006, Francisco
Presuel-Moreno has been actively establishing a research program on
marine materials, corrosion science and engineering. His efforts
have resulted in supporting six graduate students and producing
seven journal publications. Most recently, Presuel-Moreno received
the “Best Paper Award” from the National Association of
Corrosion Engineers among papers published in
Corrosion. This award is given in recognition of the most
outstanding manuscript published in
Corrosion for the preceding calendar year. In addition, he
has presented 10 peer reviewed conference papers and given five
non-peer reviewed conference presentations. Presuel-Moreno is also
supporting FAU’s Center for Ocean Energy Technology. His
expertise and research is providing critical information needed for
materials selection as it pertains to corrosion issues. Among
his research interests include materials selection, experimental
and numerical modeling of corrosion processes, durability of
infrastructure and cathodic protection.
- FAU -
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu .
