Teaching Pioneers
Professors at Lewis & Clark are dedicated teachers and renowned scholars who research and publish—often in partnership with students—at the leading edges of their disciplines.
This past year, a number of faculty members have received recognition and funding for their great work. In April, the National Institutes of Health awarded Lewis & Clark an additional $261,000 in support of Associate Professor of Biology Greta Binford’s research on the comparative venoms of recluse spiders. This three-year multidisciplinary project gives undergraduate students the opportunity to engage directly in cutting-edge bioinformatics-based research.
Binford, who joined the college in 2003, immerses her students in scientific inquiry and encourages them to learn about themselves while studying other species. She was named the Oregon Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2011, the same year that she had a new species of spider named in her honor.
Binford isn’t the only L&C professor to receive recognition this year. Here’s a selection of other recent faculty accolades:
- Assistant Professor of Biology Tamily Weissman-Unni was awarded a Life Sciences Renewal grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
- Professor of Chemistry and Program Chair of Biochemistry/Molecular Biology Julio de Paula was named as a Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. In the 20-year history of the program, de Paula is one of only five Cottrell Scholars in Oregon.
- Associate Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair Jay Odenbaugh was selected as a 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar.
- Assistant Professor of Theatre Rebecca Lingafelterwon a 2015 Drammy for “Outstanding Achievement in Solo Performance” for her work in Grounded.
- Associate Professor of English Pauls Toutonghi’s new book, True North— which tells the true story of the search for a lost, sick dog on the Appalachian Trail—will be published by Knopf next summer.
- Assistant Professor of Physics Shannon O’Leary was awarded a major NSF research grant
- Professor of Computer Science Jens Mache received a NSF award for his cybersecurity research
- Associate Professor of Art and Studio Head of Ceramics Ted Vogel was the recipient of an Oregon Arts Commission Career Opportunity Award, which helped support his one-person exhibition at Kent State University this fall.
- Assistant Professor of Biology Norma Velazquez-Ulloa was awarded an M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Partners in Science grant.
- Associate Professor and Department Chair of International Studies Heather Smith-Cannoy was awarded a grant by the American Philosophical Society for her research.
- Associate Professor of Computer Science Peter Drake received a grant from Google’s CS Engagement Small Grant Program in support of “Learn Java in NGames.”
