Two from UW receive Cottrell Scholars awards

Two UW–Madison assistant professors are recipients of the 2005 Cottrell Scholars Award from Research Corp., a foundation for the advancement of science that supports research at American and Canadian universities. Helen Blackwell of chemistry and Gary Shiu of physics were among the 13 recipients of the $100,000 award this year.

The award is given to new faculty who show promise to become leaders in physical science research and demonstrate a commitment to teaching, particularly of undergraduate students.

Blackwell’s research focuses on how bacterial cells communicate with each other using small molecules. These molecules act as signals between cells and can influence individual and group behavior of bacteria. Ultimately, this research could lead to new ways to prevent bacterial infection by blocking or manipulating how cells “talk” to each other.

In the classroom, Blackwell plans to institute active and inquiry-based learning methods to better engage students in her large chemistry lectures, where passive learning has been the norm. This new approach already has proven successful in Blackwell’s intermediate organic chemistry laboratory course, yielding findings she plans to publish in the Journal of Chemical Education.

Shiu’s research centers on experimental tests of string theory, an idea at the frontier of physics. String theory attempts to explain all forces in the universe and combines two previously incompatible theories: relativity and quantum mechanics.

Shiu plans to develop an interdisciplinary undergraduate course on this subject, combining string theory, particle physics and cosmology. He notes that science usually is taught in a compartmentalized way, and a revolution in physics could occur when ideas from various science fields are combined.

The highly competitive award is available to scientists in the third year of their first tenure track position. It is intended to identify and support promising faculty early in their careers.