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NEWS SERVICES |
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Sept. 5, 2003 -- No. 448 |
Photo note: To download photos, see the end of the release.
Four faculty members honored with university’s Hettleman Prize
CHAPEL HILL -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has awarded four associate professors the prestigious 2003 Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement by Young Faculty.
The award recipients, who were recognized by Chancellor James Moeser today (Sept. 5) at a meeting of the Faculty Council, are, from the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Kathryn J. Burns of Carrboro, department of history; Dr. Robert Duronio of Carrboro, department of biology; and Dr. Dmitri Khveshchenko of Carrboro, department of physics and astronomy; and from the School of Public Health, Dr. Edward C. Norton of Apex, department of health policy and administration.
The award, which includes a $5,000 stipend, was established in 1986 by the late Phillip Hettleman – a New York investment banker and member of the class of 1921 – to recognize the achievements of outstanding junior tenure-track faculty or recently tenured faculty. Each recipient will deliver a lecture during the academic year.
Burns has been with the university since 2000. Her major scholarly endeavor to date is "Colonial Habits: Convents and the Spiritual Economy of Cuzco, Peru," which has won three important prizes. "Colonial Habits" combines the methods and approaches of social, cultural and economic history in examining Catholic convents in colonial Peru. By tracing in meticulous detail the economic, social and spiritual roles of Cuzco’s three convents from the mid-16th century to the close of the colonial period, Burns fundamentally reshaped understanding of the Andean past.
She spent the 2002-03 academic year as a fellow at the National Humanities Center and this fall is a fellow at UNC’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities.
In his letter nominating Burns for the award, Dr. Peter Coclanis, Albert Ray Newsome professor and chairman of the history department, commented on her impeccable scholarly credentials and her "glowing teaching evaluations from peers and students alike. … She has the makings of a star in academe."
Duronio, at UNC since 1996, is director of the Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell division during animal development. Said Dr. Steven Matson, chairman of the biology department and one of Duronio’s nominators, "Understanding the regulation of this seemingly simple decision lies at the heart of understanding the process by which a single fertilized egg develops into an organism and, when this decision-making process goes wrong, it lies at the root of understanding cancer."
Duronio has published 10 papers in the last three years in leading journals in his field. He has received two notable awards, the Damon Runyon Scholar Award in 1997 and a National Science Foundation Career Award in 2000, and he’s been a regular speaker at the last three meetings of the Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on the Cell Cycle.
In addition to outstanding accomplishments as a research scientist, Duronio is an accomplished teacher and a very active member of the university community. Matson wrote, "There is no doubt that Professor Duronio embodies the research scientist-teacher we seek to promote" at UNC.
Khveshchenko joined the faculty in 2000. His research interests include electronic properties of novel superconducting, magnetic and carbon-based materials; interaction and localization effects in mesoscopic systems; and solid-state quantum computing. His work is pioneering the understanding, exploration and development of new materials at the smallest possible scales.
In his letter of nomination, Dr. Bruce Carney, Baron professor of astronomy and chairman of physics and astronomy, wrote about the complexity of Khveshchenko’s work and his unique melding of approaches from two seemingly disjointed fields. He has had five papers published in Physical Review Letters – a prominent publication in his field.
Other nominators wrote that he "ranks among the best young condensed matter theorists in the country," and that he is "an extremely active researcher with touches of impressive brilliance." A third wrote, "Dmitri is going to shine for years to come."
Norton has been at UNC since 1994. He was nominated for the Hettleman Prize based largely on his outstanding research and scholarly contributions to the field of health services research. He has been published regularly in the leading health economics journals, as well as in mainstream economics journals. His most frequently cited paper, "How Hospital Ownership Affects Access to Care for the Uninsured," has made two important contributions to the economics literature on the difference between for-profit and nonprofit hospitals.
Norton’s research work, especially on long-term care and aging, has attracted numerous external grants. He has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator on 12 major research projects, totaling approximately $15 million.
Dr. Peggy Leatt, chairwoman of the department of health policy and administration, wrote in nomination of Norton that he is "very well regarded by other health economists with premier international reputations." He has been referred to as "one of the national experts on the economics of nursing home care for the poor and medically needy and the application of econometric analysis to health care issues."
And Leatt said of Norton, "He is truly a rising star in health economics, and in methodology and policy for long-term care and aging.
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Photo note: To download photos of the Hettleman Prize recipients, click on the following urls:
News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu
