Awards & Accolades

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Heddwen Brooks, professor of physiology

Heddwen Brooks, professor of physiology

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Zong-Ming Li, professor of orthopaedic surgery and of biomedical engineering

Zong-Ming Li, professor of orthopaedic surgery and of biomedical engineering

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The University's Marketing & Brand Management team won an ADDY Award for its cultural heritage logos, like this one for Hispanic Heritage Month.

The University's Marketing & Brand Management team won an ADDY Award for its cultural heritage logos, like this one for Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Thomas Swetnam, Regents Professor emeritus of dendrochronology

Thomas Swetnam, Regents Professor emeritus of dendrochronology

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T.J. Ferguson, professor emeritus of anthropology

T.J. Ferguson, professor emeritus of anthropology

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From left: Fanisia Bundage, graduate services advisor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness; Cheree Meeks, assistant dean for programs, diversity and inclusion, W.A. Franke Honors College; Keva Williams, senior specialist, systems operations, Admis

From left: Fanisia Bundage, graduate services advisor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness; Cheree Meeks, assistant dean for programs, diversity and inclusion, W.A. Franke Honors College; Keva Williams, senior specialist, systems operations, Admissions and New Student Enrollment

American Physiological Society elects Heddwen Brooks as councilor

Heddwen Brooks, professor of physiology and member of the BIO5 Institute, has been elected a councilor of the American Physiological Society.

Brooks, who joined the University in 2001, focuses her research on hypertension, kidney disease, inflammation and menopause, and sex differences in disease. She is editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology.

The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 and currently has a membership base of nearly 10,000 scientists and educators from around the world. Nine elected councilors are part of the body that governs the organization.

Brooks' three-year term begins in April.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers honors Zong-Ming Li

Zong-Ming Li, professor of orthopaedic surgery and of biomedical engineering, has been selected by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to receive the 2022 Savio L-Y. Woo Translational Biomechanics Medal, which is awarded to an individual who has taken bioengineering science from fundamental lab discoveries toward clinical applications for patients.

Li – who holds the William and Sylvia Rubin Chair of Orthopaedic Research and is director of the Hand Research Laboratory – and his research team, along with colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic, have developed a device to treat carpal tunnel syndrome that intermittently compresses the ligament and causes it to bend in a way that reduces pressure on the adjacent nerve.

The honor comes with a $1,000 prize and a bronze medal, which will be presented at the Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, and Biotransport Conference in June.

University wins multiple ADDYs, including special recognition for Hispanic Heritage campaign

The University of Arizona won several ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation Tucson.

The honors, announced March 1, included the Mosaic ADDY Award, which is presented to an entry that demonstrates an understanding and sensitivity of targeted multicultural audiences. The organization honored the Hispanic Heritage campaign, entered by Marketing & Brand Management, saying it "exemplifies this spirit of diversity and inclusion."

MBM team members who were involved in the campaign include Jessica Estrella, art director, Clarissa Becerril, graphic designer, Adrienne Barela, content director, Drew Bourland, multimedia manager, Carlos Moreno, videographer/producer, and Alixe Holcomb, director of trademarks and licensing. Thomas Harris, associate athletics director for inclusion and employee engagement, was also part of the team.

In addition to the Mosaic award, the campaign won an ADDY Award and will go on to compete at the district level. Results of that competition will be announced later this month.

The Marketing & Brand Management team also won an ADDY Award for Cultural Logos (logos category).

The University of Arizona won ADDY Awards for Operation Hat Trick (integrated campaign category) and Bear Down Sign (outdoor installation category).

Article by University researchers honored by the National Academy of Sciences

A paper co-authored by University researchers was named a 2021 Cozzarelli Prize finalist by the National Academy of Sciences. Thomas Swetnam, Regents Professor emeritus of dendrochronology, and T.J. Ferguson, professor emeritus of anthropology, co-authored the article, "Native American fire management at an ancient wildland-urban interface in the Southwest United States." Chris Guiterman, Ellis Margolis and Josh Farella, all former University employees, and Chris Roos, a former doctoral student at the University, also worked on the paper.

The Cozzarelli Prize honors research teams whose articles published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have made outstanding contributions to their field. Awards are given in six categories, with a winner and finalist being named in each. Swetnam and Ferguson's paper was a finalist in the Social and Behavioral Sciences category. It is named in honor of Nicholas R. Cozzarelli, former PNAS editor-in-chief.

Bundage, Meeks and Williams complete African American Leadership Institute

Three University employees took part in the inaugural cohort of the State of Black Arizona's African American Leadership Institute for Southern Arizona. The University participants are:

  • Fanisia Bundage, Graduate Services Advisor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
  • Cheree Meeks, Assistant Dean for Programs, Diversity and Inclusion, W.A. Franke Honors College
  • Keva Williams, Senior Specialist, Systems Operations, Admissions and New Student Enrollment

The African American Leadership Institute is a 10-week intensive program designed to develop Black leaders and increase African American participation in civic, political and workforce-related leadership roles. Bundage, Meeks and Williams graduated from the institute in December.

The State of Black Arizona is a nonprofit organization that focuses on analyzing data, demographics and research that provide context on the status of African Americans in Arizona.


We want to know about your good news. If you, your team or a colleague has won any major awards, been honored nationally or internationally, or accomplished some other major feat that deserves recognition, let us know about it.

To submit your news, please send us an email with the following information:

  • Name of the person, team or unit receiving the honor with full University titles.
  • Information about the award/honor and the organization that granted it. Please include a link to the official announcement of the award/honor.
  • When the honor was announced and when it will be presented (or was presented).
  • A photo of the honoree. If others appear in the photo, please provide their names and identifying information, such as their University title/affiliation.

Questions? Contact Lo Que Pasa at uaatwork@arizona.edu.

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