3 receive faculty, staff University Day awards
Bob Goldstein, Michael F. Almeida and Dr. Jeffrey Stringer will be honored at the University Day ceremony Oct. 12.
Three Carolina researchers will be honored for their service and accomplishments at University Day.
Bob Goldstein is this year’s recipient of the Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award, which recognizes the outstanding service of Carolina’s voting faculty. Goldstein is the James L. Peacock III Distinguished Professor in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences’ biology department and adjunct professor of art.
Michael F. Almeida is the recipient of the Rebecca Clark Staff Award for Moral Courage, which recognizes a staff member who has demonstrated a strong commitment to social justice, especially with regard to the treatment of fellow workers. Almeida is a postdoctoral research associate at the McAllister Heart Institute at the UNC School of Medicine.
Dr. Jeffrey S.A. Stringer, Clarke-Pearson Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine, received the 2025 Oliver Max Gardner Award for his work on maternal healthcare in low-resource settings. Awarded by the UNC System in May, it is the highest faculty honor given in the 17-school system.
Goldstein, Almeida and Stringer will be recognized at the University Day ceremony on Oct. 12 at Memorial Hall.
Bob Goldstein
Goldstein is an accomplished scientist and educator known for his outstanding research on animal development. In North Carolina, he leads workshops for teachers at under-resourced public elementary schools on how to build do-it-yourself microscopes with little more than common hardware store materials and a smartphone. These workshops have resulted in more than 1,000 microscopes being built, offering North Carolina students access to scientific equipment that’s often expensive to attain. The project now has National Science Foundation funding, but he continues to personally cover travel costs.
Michael F. Almeida
Almeida’s groundbreaking research is centered on protein quality control mechanisms and their implications for age-related disease. In his role as a postdoctoral research associate, Almeida balances a demanding workload with the mentoring of students at various stages of their academic journeys. His willingness to advocate for his students, even in the face of challenges, exemplifies his brave and selfless approach to leadership. He fosters an environment of fairness and respect, finding solutions that provide support, guidance and justice within the workplace.
Dr. Jeffrey S.A. Stringer
Stringer has devoted his career to improving maternal healthcare in low-resource settings around the world. The director of Carolina’s global women’s health division, Stringer does research on preterm birth, HIV/AIDS in women and children and obstetrical outcomes where resources are scarce. His most recent innovation, a portable, battery-powered prenatal ultrasound device enhanced with artificial intelligence, addresses one of global health’s greatest challenges: access to diagnostics imaging during pregnancy. Designed for use by minimally trained providers, the device delivers vital fetal health information in remote and underserved areas. It is in use in maternity care deserts across Africa and Asia with plans underway to bring the technology to rural North Carolina.
Read more about Goldstein, Almeida and Stringer on the University Day webpage.
