LINCOLN – Three UNMC faculty members were the winners of the University of Nebraska’s most prestigious awards for research, teaching and engagement.
The winners from UNMC — which were announced by NU President James B. Milliken on Wednesday — were Alexander Kabanov, Ph.D., Professor and Parke-Davis Chair in Pharmaceutics, who won the Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award (ORCA); Paul Larsen, M.D., professor of pediatrics and neurological sciences, who won the Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award (OTICA); and Steven Hinrichs, M.D., senior associate dean for research development in the College of Medicine, who won the Innovation, Development and Entrepreneurship Award (IDEA).
“My heartiest congratulations to all three award winners,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “They make all of us at UNMC proud. With winners in all three categories — teaching, research and engagement — I think it demonstrates the all-around excellence of our institution. It’s a remarkable accomplishment and it illustrates perfectly what a world-class academic health science center we are becoming.”
Here is more information about the awards and the winners:
Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award (ORCA) recognizes individual faculty members for research and creative activity of international or national significance
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Alexander Kabanov, Ph.D. |
Dr. Alexander Kabanov, Professor and Parke-Davis Chair in Pharmaceutics at UNMC.
Dr. Kabanov is an internationally-recognized leader and innovator in nanotechnology and drug-delivery systems whose distinguished work and extraordinary scientific accomplishments have brought world-wide recognition to colleagues and collaborators, and to the University of Nebraska. He is an inspiring educator and a high-caliber scientist whose major research endeavors include work to wed polymer chemistry and the life sciences with medicine — for application in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of disease.
“Since joining the College of Pharmacy faculty . Dr. Kabanov has been truly an outstanding faculty member in every sense of the word,” said Dr. Kabanov’s nominator, Clarence Ueda, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean on the UNMC College of Pharmacy. “His excellence is second to none on the UNMC campus, and I would dare to say within the university. He has demonstrated extraordinary innovation, creativity and productivity.”
Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award (OTICA) recognizes individual faculty members for sustained records of excellence in teaching.
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Paul Larsen, M.D. |
Dr. Valerie Cisler, professor of music and chairwoman of the department of music and performing arts at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Dr. Paul Larsen, professor of pediatrics and neurological sciences and division chief of pediatric neurology at UNMC.
Dr. Cisler was nominated for her quality teaching expertise in the fields of both piano performance and pedagogy. She has raised the level of distinction at UNK by developing extensive curriculum in piano pedagogy, publishing seven books that are used and distributed internationally and helping establish a Music Pedagogy Resource Center at UNK. Her excellence in teaching is reflected in the success of her students — young motivated musicians who excel in performance and scholarship and who are consistently selected for prestigious placement.
Dr. Larsen was honored for his work as an outstanding physician and neurologist, clinician, researcher and exceptional teacher. He has lectured and given presentations internationally, bringing acclaim to UNMC. However, he also inspires and engages students. He has produced a quality series of pediatric neurology video lectures and has developed an internationally-renowned Web site for neurology students and practicing physicians.
“I have reviewed many of the student and resident evaluations of Dr. Larsen’s teaching and three terms continually apply: outstanding teacher, dedicated physician and truly moral and ethical role model,” said Dr. Larsen’s nominator, Bruce Buehler, M.D., chairman of the department of pediatrics and director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute.
Innovation, Development and Entrepreneurship Award (IDEA), a new honor, recognizes faculty excellence in engagement and outreach for faculty who extend their academic expertise beyond traditional university boundaries in ways that enrich the broader community.
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Steven Hinrichs, M.D. |
Dr. Steven Hinrichs, professor and director of microbiology and virology laboratory, department of pathology and microbiology; associate dean for research development in the College of Medicine, director of the University of Nebraska Center for Biosecurity.
Dr. Hinrichs was honored for expertise that has extended beyond the traditional boundaries of the university, strengthening Nebraska’s public health system and making the state a national model for biosecurity and bioterrorism preparedness. He helped develop the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory as a joint effort between UNMC and the Nebraska Department of Health, led the formation and is now director of the NU Center for Biosecurity, and has been a key participant in the Mid American Alliance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“(Dr. Hinrichs) has extraordinary vision for research and development and is unique in his ability to develop programs to attain those visions,” said Dr. Hinrichs’ nominator, Samuel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chairman of UNMC’s department of pathology.
Award recipients, who will be honored at an April 23 luncheon in Omaha, are selected by a committee of outstanding peers. The ORCA originated in 1978, the OTICA in 1992 and the IDEA in 2006.
“Each year we recognize faculty whose research and teaching is judged by their peers to be of the highest quality,” Milliken said. “It is a welcome reminder that the University of Nebraska has some of the best faculty anywhere, and that we consider it important to recognize and honor excellence in their work.”
What others said
“I’m not surprised at all that UNMC fared so well this year. Two of the award winners — Dr. Kabanov and Dr. Hinrichs — were part of our first group of distinguished scientists who were honored earlier this year. They are outstanding people, but I like to think that they represent only the tip of the UNMC iceberg of excellence.”
Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research
“Dr. Hinrichs has been instrumental in developing a statewide program in bioterrorism preparedness that impacts all the citizens of Nebraska. His Nebraska model has had a ripple effect throughout the nation and become the gold standard for the rest of the country. I can’t think of anyone more deserving in this day and age in which biosecurity is foremost on everyone’s mind. ”
Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs