Faculty news

R. Byron Bird has been made a special member of Rakuso Kai, the alumni association of the Chemical Engineering Department at Kyoto University.

James A. Dumesic received the Parravano Award for excellence in catalysis research from the Michigan Catalysis Society. He presented the award lecture on May 20.

Michael D. Graham was promoted to associate professor with tenure effective July 1, 1999.

Charles G. Hill, Jr. has been named the Polygon Outstanding Instructor in Chemical Engineering for 1998-99. This is the twelfth time that he has been selected to receive the Polygon award.

Edwin N. Lightfoot received one of three ACS Division of Biochemical Technology awards at the recent ACS national meeting in Anaheim. He was the 1999 David Perlman award lecturer, in recognition of his "seminal contributions to bioengineering research--including mass transfer and chromatographic separations--and education." His lecture was entitled "Speeding Bioprocess Development." The Perlman award lecture honors the memory of David Perlman, a Madison native who received a UW biochemistry degree, made notable advances in the pharmaceutical industry, and returned to Wisconsin as a distinguished professor and later dean of pharmacy.

Regina M. Murphy was awarded a five-year H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship. Romnes fellowships recognize proven research potential of outstanding faculty members who have received tenure within the past four years, providing $50,000 in unrestricted funds to be used for research program development.

Regina gave an invited special lecture, "The Search for Inhibitors of Beta-Amyloid Aggregation and Toxicity," at the American Society of Neurochemistry meeting in New Orleans, in March. While in New Orleans she enjoyed seeing the St. Joseph's parade.

W. Harmon Ray was selected to receive this year's Hilldale Award in the Physical Sciences Division. The awards are given each year to one professor in each academic division for major achievements in teaching, research, and service.

John Yin gave invited lectures on "Engineering the Growth and Evolution of Viruses" at the University of Toledo, Rutgers University, and Michigan Technological University, and on "Introduction to Viral Bioinformatics" at Parke-Davis in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Congratulations to John and his wife, Teresa Lau, on the birth of their first child, Brian Naiyuan Yin, on March 31.