Rutgers Football Games Become Venue for Recognizing Faculty
Dec 08 | Football
Besides getting to see all the play-by-play action, spectators at the Scarlet Knights' home football games this year got a taste of the university's academic excellence.
At each game, some of Rutgers' most distinguished faculty were brought onto the field and introduced to the crowd. Thanks to the scoreboard's video capability, spectators in the furthest reaches of Rutgers Stadium could watch the proceedings while hearing about the accomplishments of the faculty members.
The program was initiated by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in collaboration with the Academic Oversight Committee for Intercollegiate Athletics.
"There has always been a strong commitment to integrating athletics into our academic world," said Carl Kirschner, committee chair and the former dean of Rutgers College. "When the university recently completed the stadium expansion with a new scoreboard with better video capability, it gave us a wonderful opportunity showcase the accomplishments of our faculty."
Typically, two or three faculty members are introduced during the time-out at the end of the first quarter
"Universities are all about the work of students and faculty," Coach Greg Schiano said. "So allowing our 50,000 fans to get a glimpse of our excellent faculty just made sense."
Athletic Director Tim Pernetti agreed.
"As a student here, I had excellent professors," Pernetti said. "Seeing faculty recognized in such a public venue makes me proud to be an alumnus."
Below are the faculty members who were recognized in the most recent season, followed by their expertise.
September 7 vs. Cincinnati:
Wise Young, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, School of Arts and Sciences. Stem cell research and spinal cord injury applications.
Richard Lutz, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Underwater volcanoes and thermal vents.
September 12 vs. Howard
Jimmy de la Torre, Department of Educational Psychology, Graduate School of Education. Cognitive diagnoses to improve classroom instruction and learning.
Charles Keeton, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences. Theories and observational methods to characterize dark matter in the universe.
Hao Lin, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering. Fluid mechanics and biology to open cell walls for the delivery of medicines or genes.
(All three above are recipients of the 2008 Presidential Early Career Award, the highest honor bestowed on a beginning scientist or engineer in the U.S.; there were only 20 awardees nationally)
September 19 vs. Florida International
Terry Wilson, Department of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. Cognitive behavioral therapy and the assessment and treatment of eating disorders.
Kathryn Uhrich, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Arts and Sciences. Biocompatible polymers for medical and dental applications.
October 10 vs. Texas Southern
Debra Laskin, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. Immunotoxicology and immune mechanisms.
Paul Falkowski, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Biogeochemical cycles, photosynthesis, biological oceanography, evolution.
October 16 vs. Pittsburgh
Deborah Carr, Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences. Mother daughter relations and end of life decision-making.
Fernando Muzzio, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, School of Engineering. Applying chaos theory to reduce pollution.
November 12 vs. USF
James Katz, Department of Communication, School of Communication and Information. Social implications of cellular phone technology.
Patrick McKay, Department of Human Resource Management, School of Management and Labor Relations. Benefits of inclusive workforce environments.
December 5 vs. WVU
Keith Wailoo, Department of History; School of Arts and Sciences. Cultural politics of health care policy and research funding.
Joan Bennett, Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Health problems associated with mold toxins.
