2017-18 Wilson H. Elkins Professorships to Support Diversity in Marine Sciences, Vision Research, Education, and Open Educational Resources
Adelphi, Md. (Aug. 18, 2017) -- The 2017-18 University System of Maryland (USM) Wilson H. Elkins Professorships have been awarded to faculty members at three USM institutions, in disciplines spanning marine sciences, ophthalmological research, and education.
The Elkins Professorships support professors and researchers who demonstrate exemplary ability to inspire students and whose professional work and scholarly endeavors make a positive impact at their institutions, across the USM, and beyond.
Candidates for the Elkins Professorship must possess a solid record of achievement in their academic or professional disciplines; demonstrate a desire and ability to lead and inspire undergraduate and graduate students; show significant achievement beyond their traditional disciplines; and demonstrate ability and intent to pursue scholarly or professional endeavors beyond USM.
This year's award winners are, by institution/professor:
Coppin State University-to support the work of Kavita Hegde, associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences. Hegde's work involves ophthalmological research, creating community awareness about common causes of vision impairment and blindness. Ongoing research is also being conducted to prevent and treat related diseases. (Award Amount: $50,000)
Coppin State University-Elkins Academic Transformation Professorship to support the work of Associate Professor Katherine Cameron, who will continue working with the USM Office and institutional partners to scale the Maryland Open Source Textbooks initiative. Her work is part of the 2017 Textbook Costs Savings Act (passed by the Maryland General Assembly), and it will serve specifically to develop a more rigorous evaluation of learning outcomes associated with Open Educational Resources (OER). (Award Amount: $40,000 for Associate Professor Cameron and OER mini-grants.)
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science-to support the work of Professor Rose Jagus. She has been awarded the Elkins Professorship for her contributions to increasing the diversity of scientists working in the marine sciences. Jagus is the Project Director of the Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC) at the summer undergraduate internship program at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology. The LMRCSC is a minority training program operating in collaboration with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). The Elkins Professorship will allow Jagus to continue and enhance minority undergraduate training within the LMRCSC. (Award Amount: $60,000)
Towson University-to support the work of Katherine Holman, associate professor in the Department of Special Education, who will develop a Towson University Immersion Training Classroom and Family Support Program (in partnership with the Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers Program) that will serve infants and toddlers with disabilities and function as a training program for TU students in the College of Education. (Award Amount: $40,000)
The Wilson H. Elkins Professorship honors the late Wilson H. Elkins, who led the University of Maryland flagship campus to new levels of distinction as its president from 1954 to 1978. The Wilson H. Elkins Endowment Fund supports the professorship awards in combination with institutional and system resources. This endowment and others like it further USM's mission of teaching, research, and public service. For more information, visit the Wilson H. Elkins Professorship web page.
Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu