The University of Illinois Chicago has a proud tradition of academic excellence and a commitment to research and scholarship. The university is known for its strong research programs across a variety of fields, including health sciences, social sciences, engineering, and the humanities. The UIC Researcher, Scholar and Inventor of the Year awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields of study and have demonstrated excellence in research and scholarship.
The awards highlight the importance of research and scholarship in advancing knowledge and solving real-world problems. The recipients of these awards represent the best and brightest minds at UIC, and their work has the potential to make a significant impact on the world. The University of Illinois Chicago is proud to honor these outstanding individuals and to support their continued efforts to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation.
The OVCR and OTM are committed to supporting research and scholarship at UIC and to fostering an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and excellence. These awards are just one example of the university’s ongoing commitment to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of its faculty and staff. By investing in research and scholarship, UIC is helping to create a better future for all.
Researcher and Scholar of the Year
The Distinguished Researcher and Distinguished Scholar awards are given this year to five UIC faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in their respective fields of expertise. Seven UIC early career researchers who have shown outstanding promise to become future leaders in their field will receive the Rising Star awards.
The honorees for 2022 are:
Basic Life Sciences
Rising Star: Yu (Tom) Gao, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy
Distinguished: Yulia Komarova, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine
Clinical Sciences
Rising Star (tie): Zackery Bulman, PharmD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy
Rising Star (tie): Afsar Naqvi, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry
Distinguished: Krista Varady, PhD, Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Rising Star (tie): Yayue Pan, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering
Rising Star (tie): Ian Tobasco, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Distinguished: Eben Alsberg, PhD, Richard Loan Hill Chair, departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, and Orthopaedic Surgery, colleges of Engineering and Medicine
Social Sciences
Rising Star: Jennifer A. Jones, PhD, Associate Professor, departments of Sociology and Latin American and Latino Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Distinguished: Alexandra Filindra, PhD, Associate Professor, departments of Political Science and Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Humanities, Arts, Design and Architecture
Rising Star: Ronak K. Kapadia, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Distinguished: Mark Canuel, PhD, Professor, Department of English, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Inventor of the Year
The Inventor of the Year Award honors an outstanding inventor or an outstanding team of inventors at University of Illinois Chicago who have contributed to the development of intellectual property that significantly impacts their field and society. The award is given based on the criteria of creativity, novelty and the benefit to society.
2022 Winners: Michael Caffrey, PhD, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, and Igor Paprotny, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
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