Campus News

President Ryan Announces Awards

(November 5, 2004)

Three University at Albany professors have been promoted by the SUNY Board of Trustees to the highest rank within the State University of New York, that of Distinguished Professor. The three are: Edna Acosta-Belen of Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Lance F. Bosart of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; and Ronald Bosco of the Department of English.

In announcing the promotions during his fall faculty speech on Oct. 28, Interim President John R. Ryan said he was �delighted� to acknowledge and extend congratulations to the three. �I must note that Edna and Ron were previously honored by SUNY as Distinguished Service Professors. Thank you for all you have done to help make the University at Albany such a special place,� he said

The president also announced the names of UAlbany professors being honored at the Chancellor�s Recognition Dinner November 4: Kajal Lahiri of the Department of Economics who won the Excellence in Pursuit of Knowledge Award; Michael Carpenter, College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, and Ben Szaro, Department of Biological Sciences, who won First Disclosure awards; and James Castracane, College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, winner of the First Patent Award. Receiving certificates from the chancellor for First Disclosure awards are: Bai Xu, Gregory Denbeaux, and James Raynolds, College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering; Dmitry Belostotsky and Sho-Ya Wang, Department of Biological Sciences; Li Niu, Department of Chemistry; and Carolyn MacDonald, Department of Physics.

The president also noted the achievements of several, including Distinguished Professor Judith Langer, School of Education, who will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Uppsala in Sweden; and alumnus Sandeep Shukla, who studied in the Department of Computer Science, and has won the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the National Science Foundation.

While welcoming 35 new faculty members to the University, Ryan at the same time announced the retirement of Carl Martin, associate vice president for Student Affairs, who is leaving after �34 wonderful years of dedicated service to this University,� and Dennis Tillman, director of Financial Aid, who will also be retiring at the end of the calendar year.