NET's Winkle Awarded Management Honor

The Public Broadcasting Management Association presented its 2001 Award of Excellence to Michael Winkle, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications assistant general manager for marketing and business development, at its annual conference in Broomfield, Colo. The award recognizes individual excellence in public broadcasting administration, management or leadership.

This year's award honors Winkle's leadership role in the creation of the Online Educational Service. He identified project partners and developed the comprehensive business plan that was crucial to securing $1.5 million in start-up funding for OES. The new, not-for-profit company, which is owned and managed by public broadcasting licensees, develops and disseminates online and broadband educational products and services.

The Public Broadcasting Management Association is a professional association for finance, human resources, information systems and administrative managers in public broadcasting.

Bleed Novel Receives Honor

A novel by Peter Bleed, professor of anthropology, was a finalist in the Outstanding Books of the Year contest sponsored by Independent Publisher.

Bleed's novel, National Treasure, published by RKLOG Press, was nominated in the category of multicultural fiction. It concerns an antique Japanese sword.

Some 770 publishers participated in the contest. Winners were honored at BookExpo America 2001 in Chicago in June.

For 19 years, Independent Publisher has worked to recognize and encourage the work of publishers who exhibit the courage and creativity necessary to take chances, break new ground and bring about change. The Ten Outstanding Books of the Year were chosen for exemplifying that kind of independent spirit.

Norton Elected Accrediting Council VP

Will Norton Jr., dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, has been elected to a three-year term as vice president of the Accred-

iting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

The council conducts voluntary reviews of journalism and mass communications education programs at colleges and universities. It accredits 108 programs in the United States and abroad. Norton, who has been dean since 1990, also is president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and is a trustee of The Freedom Forum.

Fromm to Direct Biotech Center

By Monica Norby, Director of Research Communication

Michael Fromm has joined UNL as director of the Center for Biotechnology and professor of agronomy. Fromm comes to Nebraska after an 11-year career in the biotechnology industry at Monsanto Co., Mendel Biotechnology Inc. and Panakos.

"I'm excited about being back in academic research, because it's only here that we can ask the basic scientific questions that lead to discoveries," said Fromm, who began work at Nebraska on Aug. 10.

As director of the Center for Biotechnology, Fromm will support interdisciplinary research groups in genetics and molecular biology, oversee operations of seven core research facilities that support researchers campuswide and expand collaborations and partnerships with industry. He also will continue his research in functional genomics, focusing on drought tolerance in corn, as part of the Plant Sciences Initiative and as an agronomy faculty member.

"Dr. Fromm's experience in discovering and developing genes of commercial value brings the leading edge of genomics research to UNL," said Prem Paul, vice chancellor for research at Nebraska. "He represents the type of outstanding scientist we are recruiting as we enhance the stature of the university."

In his seven years as director of biotechnology and plant genomics at Monsanto (1990-97), Fromm initiated the company's plant genomics program and headed the research team that developed genetically modified "Roundup Ready" corn and "YieldGard" corn, the Bt corn resistant to European corn borers.

Fromm was president and CEO of Mendel Biotechnology Inc. in California from 1997-2000. He co-founded the company, which focused on discovering commercially valuable plant genes and developing improved plant products using the genes. At California-based Panakos, he was developing a new genomics technology using animal's cells when he accepted the Nebraska position.

Fromm earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Stanford University under Nobel Laureate Paul Berg. In his postdoctoral research, Fromm became the first scientist to produce transgenic corn cells. As a U.S. Department of Agriculture research service scientist from 1987 to 1990, he was the first in the world to use a "particle gun" to transfer a gene into a corn cell; and his group was one of the first to produce fertile transgenic corn plants, discoveries that led to today's genetically modified corn hybrids.

Fromm said he wants to increase UNL's genomics capabilities and bring in funding and new technology to make the university competitive with the best biotechnology centers.

"This is the golden age of biology," he said. "In the next 20 years, many of biology's major questions will be answered because genomics has finally advanced enough to generate some real understanding of the fundamental processes of cells."

DeVries, Farleigh Receive Kudos

Terry DeVries and Brian Farleigh will receive the July University Kudos Award at the Sept. 7 meeting of the NU Regents.

DeVries is a research analyst at the South Central Research and Extension Center and has been with the university since 1992. He is responsible for coordinating activities at the crop entomology research program, including implementing experimental plans; planting, maintaining and harvesting experimental plots; collecting, summarizing and analyzing data; preparing reports; supervising and training temporary employees; procuring supplies; and maintaining and modifying equipment. This program includes: evaluation of insecticide efficacy and transgenic insect resistant crops; insect distribution and sampling studies contributing to site-specific management; biology and management of crop insects; and insect monitoring programs using black light traps and pheromones.

Farleigh is an electronic and computer specialist with the Electronics Shop in the department of physics and astronomy. With the university since 1983, he received an Arts and Sciences Applause Award for 2000.

Farleigh is the key person responsible for the Snow and Ice Research Polar Ice Coring Office satellite and radio communications in Greenland and annually assists in setting up field research camps. Last year he assisted in the installation of a wind generator system on the Greenland icecap and was the primary designer of the electrical power systems for the winter-over-Greenland atmospheric research station at Summit, Greenland. His work for PICO stems from more than a dozen years of polar-related electronics and field support that have also taken him to Antarctica. His efforts have led to the success of borehole logging and thermal probing research at the University of Nebraska.

The awards are being presented in September because the July regents meeting occurred in McCook.

UNL Grad Students Honored by Recreation Organization

UNL graduate students Oluseun O. Lawal and Robin R. Whisman were recognized by the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association as recipients of the William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award during the NIRSA national conference in Reno, Nev.

Lawal and Whisman were two of 12 graduate students nationally to receive the award.

The award recognizes outstanding students who are active participants, employees or volunteers in collegiate recreational sports departments.

Criteria for the award included self-improvement through activities, academic success, volunteerism, leadership and promoting inclusion.