Mellon College of Science Faculty, Students Earn Education and Research Awards

The Mellon College of Science’s (MCS) awards for education and research were presented during the college’s Annual Faculty Meeting on May 2. Winners included Curtis Meyer, William Hrusa, Michael Picollelli, Delia Laura-Popescu, Mike Williams, Jennifer Jocz and Monisha Mandalaywala.

The Julius Ashkin Award for Excellence in Teaching was awarded to Physics Professor Curtis Meyer. The award is presented to a faculty member who has shown unusual devotion and effectiveness in teaching undergraduate students. Meyer was recognized for his excellence in teaching introductory physics courses, his broader teaching and advising achievements, and his commitment to involving undergraduates in cutting-edge research projects. Both faculty and students praised his accessibility, enthusiasm and evident love of teaching. A former student recalls his class with Meyer as “one of the best-taught classes” he had while at Carnegie Mellon. In a letter supporting Meyer’s nomination, another student praised Meyer’s teaching: “I can honestly say that if I had not had Professor Meyer as my instructor, I would probably not have continued any further in the physics curriculum. Although I am an economics major, Professor Meyer inspired me to continue taking physics coursework.”

William Hrusa, professor of mathematical sciences, received the Richard Moore Award, which recognizes faculty members who have made substantial, sustained contributions to the educational mission of MCS. Hrusa has been a faculty member in the department of mathematical sciences for 23 years. His contributions “have been of extraordinary value,” wrote professors Roy Nicolaides, Russell Walker and Steven Shreve in a letter supporting Hrusa’s nomination. Hrusa “is a superb teacher, a dedicated director of graduate studies and a valued colleague,” they said, adding that as director of graduate studies, Hrusa not only dedicates untold time and effort to ensure potential students have the best experience possible during visits to Carnegie Mellon, but he also ensures that incoming students feel at home in the department. In addition, he “has made invaluable contributions” to the computational finance program, from advising students to teaching the Introduction to Mathematical Finance course.

Graduate students Michael Picollelli (mathematical sciences) and Delia Laura-Popescu (chemistry) were named recipients of the Hugh D. Young Graduate Teaching Award. The award recognizes effective teaching by graduate students.

Picollelli was honored for excellence in teaching a variety of courses, including a pre-calculus course for the 2005 Carnegie Mellon Summer Academy for Math and Science, a summer program for high school students. “Mike puts a lot of thought and effort into his teaching, in addition to having a natural talent for it. His incredible flexibility helps the combination of humor in the classroom, together with a very serious attitude towards all aspects of teaching, work well,” wrote Deborah Brandon, teaching assistant supervisor, in a letter supporting Picollelli’s nomination. Picollelli’s students concur. In their letters of support, many commented that he is extremely approachable, that he excels at working through and explaining difficult problems, and that he creates a relaxed and comfortable classroom environment.

 

Popescu was praised by faculty, students and peers for her dedication and enthusiasm. “Like my students I am deeply appreciative of Delia’s outstanding knowledge of chemistry, her interest in always improving her skills as a teacher and her willingness to assist in any way in improving the learning experience of the students,” wrote Karen Stump, teaching professor and director of undergraduate studies for the department of chemistry, in a letter supporting Popescu’s nomination. Many of Popescu’s fellow teaching assistants look to her as model of what an excellent teacher should be, and her students commented in their letters of support that she “goes the extra mile” to make sure they understand a concept.

The Guy C. Berry Graduate Research Award, which recognizes excellence in research by MCS graduate students, was presented to Mike Williams. Williams, a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of Physics, was commended on his “careful, systematic work on calibration issues and analysis software” and his development of “a set of momentum corrections and kinematic fitter tools” for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility’s Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) collaboration at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va. Matthew Bellis, a post-doctoral researcher who has worked with Williams, said “the project as a whole would not be anywhere near as far along as it is and approaching some significant results without his contributions.” Curtis Meyer, professor of physics, adds, “His work has substantially raised the overall quality of analysis work in the experiment.”

Jennifer Jocz and Monisha Mandalaywala each received the Dr. J. Paul Fugassi and Linda E. Monteverde Award, an endowed grant awarded to students conducting research at the Mellon College of Science.

Jocz, a senior biological sciences major, has excelled in carrying out two undergraduate research projects, one in the laboratory of Elizabeth Jones, where she is analyzing the PBN1 gene in yeast. In another project at the Center for Genomic Services at Allegheny General Hospital, she studies novel proteins found in clinical samples of bacteria that cause pneumonia and infections in patients with compromised immune systems. Jocz’s work at Allegheny General led to her co-authorship of an article in the journal Infection and Immunity. “There is no doubt that she is a gifted experimentalist with a bright future in science,” wrote Amy Burkert, associate department head for undergraduate affairs, in a letter supporting Jocz’s nomination.

Mandalaywala, a senior chemistry major, began her studies at Carnegie Mellon when she was only sixteen. She was accepted to medical school after her sophomore year and has “an incredible work ethic and a passion for learning that is unusual to find,” said Stump. As an undergraduate, Mandalaywala carried out research during a summer program at Clarkson University. She also works in Krzysztof Matyjaszewski’s lab, where she is developing a copolymer that has the potential to act as an injectable scaffold to grow new tissue in patients. In addition to conducting research, maintaining a full course load and participating in many extra-curricular activities, Mandalaywala also led the supplemental instruction program for organic chemistry I and II.

May 2, 2006
Amy Pavlak

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