Honors and Achievements

Erica Armstrong Dunbar, associate professor of history, has been appointed to the Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lectureship Program for those who have made major contributions to the field. Presidents of the organization appoint their “most illustrious and dynamic colleagues” to the program, with only 1 percent of U.S. historians selected. Armstrong Dunbar specializes in 18th- and 19th-century African-American women’s history.

David L. Mills, professor of electrical and computer engineering known for his pioneering and continuing work with the Internet, is among 65 new U.S. members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Academy membership is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education. In the last four years, three UD College of Engineering faculty members have been elected to the NAE, putting the University and the college in elite company.

Jaehee Jung, assistant professor of fashion and apparel studies, received the Best Conference Paper Award in the Fashion Marketing Track from the 2008 Global Marketing Conference, at which 372 papers were presented. Jung’s research focuses on cross-cultural comparisons of body image and the socio-cultural and behavioral influence on body image. The award-winning paper was coauthored by Yoon-Jung Lee of Korea University and has been accepted for publication in a noted academic journal, Psychology and Marketing.

David Kirchman, professor of marine biosciences, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, the oldest and largest single life-science membership organization in the world, with more than 43,000 members representing more than 25 areas within the field. Fellows are selected based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and America’s Promise Alliance have selected Ashley Reznik, AS ’10, to receive a Scholar of Promise Service Award, which recognizes young people for outstanding community service. Reznik, a pre-med biology major, has helped in a New Jersey nursing home, obtained her emergency medical technician certification and, during the summer, volunteered with a first aid squad.

Margaret Werth, associate professor of art history, has been selected as the Clark-Centre Allemand Fellow for 2008-09. The new fellowship is jointly sponsored by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass., and the Centre Allemand d’Histoire in Paris to recognize scholars “whose projects deepen the knowledge, understanding and interpretation of art and visual culture, broadly conceived.” Werth will spend one semester at the Clark Art Institute and a second semester at the Centre Allemand, which is known for its strong focus on French art and culture.

Burnaby Munson, C. Eugene Bennett Chair of Chemistry, has been named a 2008 Chemical Pioneer by the American Institute of Chemists, which cited him for developing, with Frank Field, “the technique of chemical ionization mass spectrometry, CIMS—an analytical application of gas phase ion/molecule reactions at ‘high’ pressures (for mass spectrometry)—that is routinely used for characterization of organic compounds, particularly in conjunction with gas chromatography.” Research by Munson and his students has focused on the thermochemistry, kinetics and analytical applications of gas phase ion/molecule reactions.

Barbara Settles, professor of individual and family studies, has been honored by the National Council on Family Relations, the primary academic organization in her field, as one of six new fellows. Fellowship status, awarded to no more than 1 percent of council members a year, recognizes outstanding and enduring contributions to the field of family studies through teaching, scholarship, outreach, professional service and leadership.

Michael Santare, professor of mechanical engineering, has been selected a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International for “exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession.” He is one of only about 2,800 fellows chosen from more than 100,000 society members. His research interests include applied mechanics, orthopedic biomechanics and composite materials, with a current focus on fuel cell membrane durability and nano-composite materials.

Marilyn Prime, director of UD student centers, was awarded the Frank Harris Outstanding Student Government Adviser Award by the National Association for Campus Activities. The honor, which is named for the association’s first board of directors chairperson, is awarded to only one college administrator a year who excels in student government advisement, leadership, dedication and student rapport.