Four faculty to receive 2009 Hilldale Awards

Four faculty will receive the 2009 Hilldale Awards, which honor excellence in teaching, research and service.

The awards, given annually since 1987, recognize professors in four divisions: biological sciences, physical sciences, social studies, and arts and humanities. The Hilldale Fund makes the awards possible. The awards will be presented at the April Faculty Senate meeting. This year’s recipients are:

William Dove, George Streisinger Professor of Experimental Biology and professor of oncology and medical genetics

Dove has been a UW–Madison faculty member since 1965, when he was named an assistant professor of oncology. More than 20 years ago, Dove began a program to use germline mutagenesis of the mouse to identify genes important in development and in cancer, which was thought by many oncologists to not be feasible. However, through his research, Dove discovered what was arguably the first —and still one of the best —mouse models of human cancer. The mouse is being used by Dove and colleagues to identify biomarkers associated with colon cancer, which may eventually allow physicians to assess an individual patient’s risk, disease state, best therapy and/ or response to therapy.

In 1980, Dove and colleagues formed the Cell Biology Study Group on campus, focusing on primary research discussions; the group was instrumental in several faculty recruitments to UW–Madison. Dove also has started several initiatives on campus, including the Wisconsin Symposia on Human Biology, the Technology Forum and the McArdle Symposia on Cancer. He was involved in the creation of the structure of the Biology Core Curriculum and he directed the Genetics Predoctoral Training Grant for more than 15 years. Dove also has been director of the Cancer Genetics Program at the Paul P. Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center since 1998.

Dove received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Amherst College and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech.

Edward Friedman, Hawkins Chair Professor, Department of Political Science.

Now in his 42nd year of teaching, Friedman is the longest-serving member in his department. His research interests include democratization, Chinese politics, international political economy, revolution and the comparative study of transitions in Leninist states. Friedman has been especially involved in curriculum development within his department, introducing graduate seminars and undergraduate courses on Chinese domestic and foreign policy and the politics of revolution. Recently, Friedman created a course on the politics of human rights.

Friedman has been an active scholar throughout his career. After discovering a passion for the issues of democratization and human rights, particularly in China, as an undergraduate, he committed his career to understanding the challenges to democratization. In 1978, he was part of the first foreign team to do serious social science scholarly work in the People’s Republic of China, eventually publishing “Chinese Village, Socialist State” in 1991, which won the Association of Asian Studies’ prize for the best book on modern China.

At UW–Madison, Friedman has taught sessions for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences’ seminar on sustainable development and modules for the School of Business’s executive master’s program. He was director of the Center for East Asian Studies, and he frequently lectures for UW-Extension and other outreach programs. Friedman also has helped several UW–Madison chancellors establish exchange programs with China.

Friedman earned his bachelor’s degree in 1959 from Brandeis University. His master’s degree (1961) in East Asian studies and Ph.D. (1968) in political science are from Harvard.

Gerald L. Kulcinski, Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering and associate dean for research at the College of Engineering.

Since joining the faculty in 1972, Kulcinski’s studies have included energy applications, basic materials research and detailed conceptual design of fusion power plants. Early in his career, Kulcinski performed experiments on radiation damage to materials for the first walls of fusion reactors, which involved innovative research on neutron irradiation to steels and on pulsed-irradiation damage to fusion first-wall materials. He also helped initiate and still leads UW–Madison’s Fusion Technology Institute’s effort on the conceptual design of fusion power plants.

Kulcinski is a leader in studying the economic and environmental issues of fusion power, including examining the impact of fusion on the energy marketplace; investigating the cycle of energy systems; and developing energy-planning tools. His research has expanded beyond fusion and now includes fossil fuels, fission, wind energy and solar energy. His current research interests are in the assessment of the technological and environmental aspects of the production of electricity from renewable, fossil and nuclear energy sources.

Kulcinski has long been involved on campus, acting as a member of the Athletic Board, the Energy Analysis and Policy Committee and the Wisconsin Alumni Board of Directors, among others. He’s highly involved in his field nationally and internationally as well; since 2008, he has been a member of NASA’s highest-level advisory board, the NASA Advisory Council.

Kulcinski received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1961 and his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in 1965, both in Madison from the University of Wisconsin.

Truman Lowe, professor of art

Lowe first came to UW–Madison in 1974 as assistant dean and coordinator of multicultural programming in the Dean of Students Office. In 1975, he was named coordinator of the Native American studies program, with a joint appointment as assistant professor in the art department. Lowe became a full-time professor of art in 1988. He has been undergraduate chair and chair of the art department; as an administrator he increased enrollment, funding retention and graduation of Native American students at UW–Madison.

Lowe’s artistic research is inspired by his Ho-Chunk ancestry, culture and landscape. He is an award-winning artist who has exhibited his work in more than 30 solo and 95 national and international group exhibits since 1977, and his research has garnered national and international recognition. In 1997, Lowe was commissioned to create a sculpture for a yearlong exhibition at the White House that featured Native American artists. In 1999, he was the first of a group of six artists to receive the prestigious Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Art. Lowe also has worked to raise awareness of the contributions Native American artists have made historically; he is curator of contemporary art at the National Museum of the Native American. Lowe also has received numerous campus awards, including a Distinguished Alumni Award and a Kellett Mid-Career Faculty Research Award.

Lowe earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-La Crosse in 1969 and his master’s degree from UW–Madison in 1973.