Vilas professors and investigators honored

Extraordinary members of the University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty were honored May 11 with awards supported by the estate of professor, Senator and Regent William F. Vilas (1840-1908).

Twenty professors were named to Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships, an award recognizing distinguished scholarship as well as standout efforts in teaching and service. The professorship provides flexible funding over five years — two-thirds of which is provided by the Office of the Provost through the generosity of the Vilas trustees, and one-third provided by the school or college whose dean nominated the winner.

Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships were awarded to:

• Elaine Alarid, Oncology
• Lawrence Berger, Social Work
• John Booske, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Geoffrey Borman, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
• Leslie Bow, English
• Mark Eriksson, Physics
• Dorothy Farrar-Edwards, Kinesiology
• Stephen Gammie, Zoology
• Padma Gopalan, Materials Science and Engineering
• Jeffrey Johnson, Pharmacy
• Laura Kiessling, Biochemistry
• Mikko Lipasti, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Leonora Neville, History
• Jon Pevehouse, Political Science
• Kenneth Raffa, Entomology
• James Rawlings, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• David Williamson Shaffer, Educational Psychology
• John Yin, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Jin-Wen Yu, Dance
• Ellen Zweibel, Astronomy

Four professors were chosen for Vilas Research Investigator Awards, given to faculty members who serve as outstanding mentors for graduate students working as research assistants or project assistants. The award provides funding for a research or project assistant for one year.

Vilas Research Investigator Awards were granted to:

• Jim Escalante, Art
• Lisa Naughton, Geography
• Francisco Pelegri, Genetics
• Izabela Szlufarska, Materials Science and Engineering

Twenty-seven professors received Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Awards, recognizing research and teaching excellence. The award provides flexible research funding for one year.

The Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Awards were granted to:

• Suman Banerjee, Computer Sciences
• Lesley Bartlett, Educational Policy Studies
• John Berry, Chemistry
• Dominique Brossard, Life Sciences Communication
• Pascale Carayon, Industrial Engineering
• Amy Charkowski, Plant Pathology
• John Denu, Biomolecular Chemistry
• Jonathan Gray, Communication Arts
• Tracey Holloway, Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
• George Huber, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Dan Klingenberg, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Jingshan Li, Industrial Engineering
• Marie-Louise Mares, Communication Arts
• Regina Murphy, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Bret Payseur, Genetics
• Anna Pidgeon, Forest and Wildlife Ecology
• James Raymo, Sociology
• Laura Schechter, Agricultural and Applied Economics
• Timo Seppalainen, Mathematics
• Dhavan Shah, Journalism and Mass Communication
• Eric Shusta, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Vikas Singh, Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
• Stephanie Tai, Law
• Paul Voyles, Materials Science and Engineering
• Earlise Ward, Nursing
• Jack Williams, Geography
• Xinyu Zhao, Neuroscience

Twelve professors received Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Awards, recognizing research and teaching excellence in faculty who are relatively early in their careers. The award provides flexible research funding for one year.

Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Awards were granted to:

• Anjon Audhya, Biomolecular Chemistry
• Rikhil Bhavnani, Political Science
• Chao Fu, Economics
• Corbett Grainger, Agricultural and Applied Economics
• Li-Ching Ho, Curriculum and Instruction
• Jeremy Morris, Communication Arts
• Ozioma Okonkwo, Geriatrics
• Brian Pfleger, Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Eleanor Powell, Political Science
• John-Demian Sauer, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
• Rupa Sridharan, Cell and Regenerative Biology
• Deric Wheeler, Human Oncology