Outstanding Graduate Students Honored at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Graduate School has announced the recipients of the 2003 Outstanding Graduate Student awards to be presented during UA Honors Week, scheduled for April 14-18. The award categories are Outstanding Dissertation, Outstanding Thesis, Outstanding Teaching by a Master’s Student, Outstanding Teaching by a Doctoral Student, Outstanding Research by a Master’s Student, and Outstanding Research by a Doctoral Student.

Three separate committees reviewed the nominations from the divisions for the UA graduate awards. Committees of faculty emeriti selected the thesis and dissertation winners. The Graduate Council’s Committee on Teaching and Research Awards evaluated the nominations for the four awards for excellence in teaching and excellence in research.

The committees have selected the following students as recipients of the 2003 UA Graduate School awards:

Yongjun Chu, College of Arts and Sciences, chemistry, received the Outstanding Thesis Award for “Synthesis and Characterization of Non-natural DNA with Novel Nucleosides.” His adviser is Dr. Stephen Woski, associate professor of chemistry.

Chu’s research developed new ways to introduce reporter groups into the heart of a double stranded DNA. Specifically, Chu investigated the synthesis of new nucleosides and was able to chemically produce strands of DNA containing both natural nucleosides and modified residues. The results he found indicate that spectroscopic labels can be used as internal probes of DNA structure and function. The committee that selected Chu said he designed a mature research experiment that contributes significantly to bioorganic chemistry.

Baker Lawley, College of Arts and Sciences, English and creative writing, received the Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Master’s Student. Lawley taught five different courses in the English department while maintaining a perfect academic record and publishing fiction pieces. The nominating committee said he is a focused, innovative and mature instructor who has the genuine ability to excite and motivate his students to appreciate their own writing and that of others.

In evaluations students often wrote that Lawley taught them how to make their writing real and believable. The committee commended Lawley for being able to deliver honest, effective criticism to individual students on their work without discouraging them.

Jennifer Myer, College of Arts and Sciences, anthropology, received the Award for Outstanding Research by a Master’s Student. Myer conducted the Black Warrior Survey anthropological project with virtual independence. The nominating committee said her research in determining the constraints on settlement location is innovative and her findings have already caught the attention of scholars at several universities.

She has received numerous awards, including the 2002 Bob Work Award for Scholastic Excellence in Archaeology and the 2002 Southeastern Archaeological Conference Student Paper Competition award. She has presented three papers at professional conferences. Myer also will be in the first class of UA’s anthropology doctoral program.

Andrea Porter, College of Arts and Sciences, English, received the Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Doctoral Student. She has been consistently excellent in a variety of teaching assignments within the English department. A member of the nominating committee said Porter is among the best graduate instructors he has worked with during his long career. In Porter’s statement of goals in teaching, she said that she developed her method of teaching by learning both from teachers who have challenged her and those who have not met her expectations.

Porter’s nominators praised her not only for her expertise in her field and success in teaching her subject, but also for her genuine concern for her students. A former student wrote that Porter was very encouraging to students and doesn’t forget them when she walks out of class.

Dr. Susan Thompson, College of Communication and Information Sciences, mass communication, received the Outstanding Dissertation Award for “The Antebellum Penny Press.” Her adviser was Dr. David Sloan, professor of journalism.

Thompson chose a topic of central importance in the study of mass communication history. Thompson’s study is the first attempt to write a general history of the penny press. Sloan feels confident that when her work is published, Thompson’s study will be the recognized authority on the topic. The nominating committee said her writing synthesizes, explains and narrates the topic well.

Ann Visser, College of Arts and Sciences, chemistry, received the Award for Outstanding Research by a Doctoral Student. Her research has focused on the use of metal ion extractants, designed for use in traditional solvent extraction, applied successfully in Aqueous Biphasic Systems and Ionic Liquid systems. Visser currently has more than 20 papers in print or in press. Her work has also been the basis for more than 30 presentations at national meetings. Visser’s work has led to increased UA collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory and other national laboratories.

Visser’s nominator said she is organized and articulate, capable of independent thought and action, has good supervisory skills and is technically competent in separation science. Visser already has received a senior scientist position at Savannah River Technology Center without postdoctoral experience.