Seven Women in Academia Presented With Prestigious Honors or Awards

Tequila Harris, associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, has received the L. E. Scriven Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Coating Science and Technology. The award recognizes outstanding sustained achievements or one-time breakthroughs in the field of continuous liquid film coating. Dr. Harris’ work focuses on a novel advancement in processing film coatings, mainly for use in electronics. She is the first woman and the first African-American to win the award in its 20-year history. Dr. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from Lane College in Tennessee and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Darryl (Deri) Draper-Amason, provost fellow and faculty member at Old Dominion University’s College of Continuing Education and Professional Development, is the recipient of the 2018 Women in Digital Learning Leadership Scholarship from the Online Learning Consortium. The award honors women in the field of digital learning who exemplify leadership qualities and who add to the field through innovative practices or research. Dr. Draper-Amason holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Temple University in Philadelphia and a master of education in instructional systems and a Ph.D. in instructional systems and performance and workplace education from Pennsylvania State University.

Parker Watson, assistant director of the Office of Campus Engagement and Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, has received the Outstanding Campus Activities Professional Award from the National Association of Campus Activities. The award is presented annually to a staff member who best exemplifies outstanding achievement in the field of campus activities advisement.

Jennifer Doudna, a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, has received the Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society. The award is given to distinguished individuals who have made valuable contributions in the fight against cancer through basic research, clinical research, and cancer control. Dr. Doudna has been recognized for her invention of the gene-editing tool, which has transformed basic cancer research and created new cancer therapies currently undergoing trials. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and a Ph.D. in biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology from Harvard Medical School.

Leslie Scott, associate professor in the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, has received the Dickinson Wright Nurse of the Year Award, a part of IGE Media’s 2018 MediStar Awards. The award recognizes a nurse who has gone above and beyond their normal responsibilities to improve best practices and contribute to patient education. Dr. Scott holds a master’s degree in nursing and a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky.

The University of Louisville has named a new institute in honor of Christina Lee Brown. The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute takes a holistic approach to researching how the human-environment interrelationship impacts people’s lives. The institute will incorporate human engagement and citizen science to introduce a singular, new approach to the study of health. This past May, Brown donated $5 million to support the new institute. “I cannot think of a better way to honor Christy for her tremendous generosity that has allowed the institute to become a reality and to get off to such a strong start,” said University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi.

Eva Zygmunt, the Helen Gant Elmore Distinguished Professor of Elementary Education and co-director of the Alliance for Community-Engaged Teacher Preparation at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, has received the 2018 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award. The honor was presented by Campus Compact, a national coalition of more than 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purpose of higher education. Dr. Zygmunt was selected for the award for her groundbreaking work in teacher development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, a master of education in curriculum and instruction-early childhood education from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in early childhood education from Ball State University.