Congratulations to these recently honored employees.

Interim Director of the BIO5 Institute Honored With 2016 SPIE President's Award

SPIE, an international society for optics and photonics, honored Jennifer Barton, interim director of the BIO5 Institute, with the President's Award. The award is given to an individual who, in the opinion of the president of SPIE and the board of directors, has rendered a unique and meritorious service of outstanding benefit to SPIE. Barton is known for her innovative use of optical techniques in the detection and treatment of cancer and other diseases. She leads a two-year $1 million project funded by the National Cancer Institute to identify imaging biomarkers of ovarian cancer. The awards were given last month in San Diego.

Catherine Merrill Appointed to United Way National Women's Leadership Council

Catherine Merrill, technical project manager at Steward Observatory, has joined the United Way National Women's Leadership Council. Merrill, who became a member of the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona board of directors in July, is the only representative from Arizona on the council. She will serve for three years with the option of serving an additional three years. The United Way National Women's Leadership Council is a formal advisory body of 15-25 volunteers who provide strategic recommendations to United Way Worldwide and support the ongoing work of local United Ways.  

Three Chemistry and Biochemistry Employees Receive McNair Staff Awards

Three employees in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry have been presented with McNair Staff Awards, which recognize staff for exceptional performance and contributions to the department. The recipients were Andrei Astachkine, assistant staff scientist, Ellie Warder, program coordinator, and Martin Marquez, senior academic adviser. Each year, three awards of $1,000 are given to the individual staff members who best meet the criteria.

College of Science Recognizes Employees

Three employees from the College of Science were recognized for significant contribution to the teaching and advising mission of the University. Olivia Mendoza, senior program coordinator, received the Distinguished Advising Award. John Jewett, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, received the Distinguished Early-Career Teaching Award. Andrei Sanov, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, received the Distinguished Career Teaching Award. The awardees received $500 and were recognized at the College of Science faculty reception earlier this month.

Employees and Student Awarded for American Indian Excellence in Leadership

The Phoenix Indian Center recognized Karletta Chief, assistant professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, and Alberta Arviso, learning specialist in the Office of Diversity at the College of Medicine, for excellence in leadership on American Indian matters. For 34 years, the center's leadership awards have recognized excellence of work, innovation in approach and impact within the community or across the nation. Gene Little, a junior at the UA, was selected as Male College Student of the Year. The honorees will be recognized at a dinner on Nov. 16.

We want to know about your good news. If you, your department or a colleague have 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 or team receiving the honor.
• Name of the organization granting the honor.
• A description of the 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 affiliations.

Questions? Contact Amy Williams at 626-4407 or amywilliams@email.arizona.edu.