February 28, 1997


Kelley, Mueller February Kudos Recipients

Sheila Kelley and Lois Mueller were honored as recipients of the February Kudos Award at the NU Board of Regents meeting Saturday.

Kelley (shown at right) is a communications associate at the West Central Research & Extension Center, where she helps faculty and support staff in the preparation of research results and other up-to-date educational information for release to all media in the district and state. She serves as the downlink site coordinator for satellite conferences, organizes tours of the center and serves on committees and other assignments for the center, the extension district, the Department of Communications and Computing Services, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the university.

Kelley also provides and presents educational training for the county and center faculty and staff and designs brochures and special events materials to promote activities of the West Central District. Her nominator said she is very creative, contributing significantly to the work of the center, and "the demand for assistance and support has steadily grown under her leadership. I see that as evidence of the regard held by both individuals within the center and the district, as well as outside of the university."



Mueller (shown above) is assistant to the dean of graduate studies. She serves as graduate registrar, records officer, grade appeals administrator, student information manager, national survey coordinator and office manager as well as assisting in operational planning and budgeting. She interacts daily with students, faculty and staff regarding a broad range of Graduate Studies issues, as well as fielding questions from faculty and staff concerning the nomination process of the Graduate Faculty approval process.

Mueller has been involved with two successful moves into new student databases which required training of staff, development of new procedures and maintenance of accurate computer records. In the capacity of office manager, Mueller helped in the design of the office to increase the efficiency of the flow of work and improve space management. According to her nominator, Mueller's accomplishments in the office are "nothing short of phenomenal. Morale among the staff has never been higher, thanks to her management skills."

Interior Design Earns Exclusive Invitation

The College of Architecture's Interior Design Program is one of only three design programs to be included in the 1997 International Design Congress May 21-23 in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Besides UNL, other schools represented are Arizona State and the Illinois Institute of Technology. The conference is restricted to 50 participants, and includes representatives from design societies, the media and industry.

Cecil Steward, dean of architecture, and Betsy Gabb, director of interior design, will represent UNL at the conference.

Steward said the conference will play an important role in shaping future international interior design standards, and that the university's role in the conference indicates that the Interior Design Program is now considered to be part of an exclusive group.

UNL Purchasing Guru Bode Honored for Service

Bill Bode of UNL's Purchasing Department received the Jim Cusick Award Feb. 12 from the National Association of Purchasing Managers-Nebraska, Inc. Created in 1984 to honor a member's contributions to the Nebraska Association and the Purchasing Association, the award recognizes commitment, professionalism and ethics in purchasing management.

Berkowitz is Selected as Alfred P. Sloan Fellow

David Berkowitz, assistant professor of chemistry, has been named Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow.

Ralph Gomory, president of the Sloan foundation, said the award "is an extraordinarily competitive award, involving nominations for most of the very best scientists from around the country. (The award) is a clear indication of the high esteem in which your past work and future potential are held by your fellow scientists."

The Sloan Research Fellowship carries with it a grant of $35,000, to be used in a flexible and largely unrestricted manner by the fellowship recipient.

Berkowitz is only the second recipient of the award in the Department of Chemistry. R.L. Funk received the award in 1985.

Obituaries

Kim Hobson Dies Feb. 23

Kim Hobson, a UNL employee and longtime United Way volunteer, died at her Lincoln home Feb. 23 of a heart attack. She was 41.

Hobson worked as a student organization consultant in the Student Involvement Office for the past 12 years. She also served on the United Way Board of Directors.

She was a member of Southwood Lutheran Church, PEO Chapter FF, and a served as a literacy volunteer. A Lincoln native, she received her bachelor's degree in journalism from UNL in 1979 and her master's degree in adult education in 1987.

Hobson is survived by her parents, Dean and Beverly Hobson of Lincoln; a sister, Nancy Young of Lincoln; a brother, Mike Hobson of Norfolk; and a grandmother, Dorris Schmidt of Lincoln.

Irrigation Pioneer Dies Monday

Paul Fischbach, a retired UNL professor of agricultural engineering who was known as "Mr. Irrigation," died Feb. 24 at the age of 77.

Fischbach was nationally known for his work, which included irrigation system design and chemigation research. He developed an automatic gated pipe surface irrigation system, which was more energy and water efficient than other systems. He also pioneered the application of nitrogen fertilizer through irrigation in the late 1950s.

In 1970, Fischbach developed the equipment used for chemigation, in which chemicals are injected through irrigation systems to prevent groundwater pollution.

Born in Orleans, he served in North Africa and Europe during World War II. He earned a bachelor of science degree in technical science in 1949 and a master of science degree in agronomy in 1950, both from NU. He joined the faculty in 1952 as an assistant professor and irrigation extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural Engineering. He was the recipient of several statewide and national honors among many other awards.


Back to menu

For questions regarding these Scarlet pages, contact:
dtaurins@unlinfo.unl.edu
(402) 472-8518, Fax: (402) 472-7825