First e-awards given to professors at the Provost’s Celebration of Research Reception

Awards and patent recognition were given during the last hour of the Provost’s Celebration of Research Reception. 

Jerry Weinberg, the Associate Provost for Research and the dean of the graduate school, and Susan Morgan, the associate dean of research and graduate studies, both spoke at the event. 

Jill Smucker, the director of graduate education in the graduate school, was a part of the team that helped organize this event. She said it was a great chance for people to be exposed to the scholarships that SIUE has. 

“It's a really wonderful opportunity to kind of take a step back and recognize and realize the bigger picture of some of the amazing scholarship that's happening at SIUE,” Smucker said. “That sometimes in our day-to-day work we lose sight of some of the really incredible things that are happening here on campus. It's a great day to recognize those efforts built from students and faculty.”

Smucker said that the first “e” award is for faculty who have submitted a grant for the first time. 

“The first ‘e’ is for people who are first time submitters on an external grant proposal during the year prior,” Smucker said. “That's really an award you can only win once because it's something that's given to you when you submit an external grant for the first time.”

Rubi Quinones, assistant professor in the computer science department was awarded the first “e” award. She said that her job is like a combination of agriculture and computer science. 

“I do research in computer vision, artificial intelligence, and plant phenotyping,” Quinones said. “I research in using plants’ imageries where I try to come up with inferences, conclusions about the plants and hopefully come up with breeding solutions so we can make our plants more resilient and when we're growing them out in the field.”

Quinones said that whether she gets the grant or not, she’s appreciative that SIUE recognizes faculty members like her and the work that it takes to write a grant. 

“Whether I get it or not, the fact that SIUE recognizes us and appreciates our effort with this award is very fulfilling.”

Bernadette Sobczak, assistant professor of family health and community health nursing, also won a first “e” award. She said that the grant took a lot of work, she was the lead as she worked on it with a team of two of other members who were not able to attend the event. 

“We just got this grant back in September,” Sobczak said. “It took a lot of work and I'm only part of the team. We are creating online interactive modules and so basically the preceptor will take these modules and then we will also have yearly conferences so that we can train people out in the field and also so that we can train new clinical faculty at the School of Nursing on how to give feedback to students and we've got a lot of stuff with them.”

Sobczak said that she felt honored receiving her reward. 

“The whole thing was ecstatic because it means so much for the students and the faculty and just the work of the School of Nursing.” Sobczak said.

Sobczak said that it’s great to have a grant that represents the hard work you’ve done.

“I didn't see how much work it took until I had to do it myself. But I had a team behind me.” Sobczak said. 

See below the complete list of winners. 

First ‘e’ Award:

• Alaaeldin Elsisi, assistant professor of civil engineering

• Amardeep Kaur, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

• Angela Andrews, assistant professor of primary care and health system nursing

• Ariel Jones, assistant professor of social work

• Bernadette Sobczak, assistant professor of family health and community health nursing

• Bhargav Patel, assistant professor of the school of pharmacy

• Candace Hall, assistant professor of educational leadership

• Emily Jane Wonnacott-Stanley, program coordinator of the center for STEM research, education, and outreach

• John Cabage, chair and associate professor of construction

• Myjal Garner, instructor and lecturer of family health and community health nursing

• Rubi Quinones, assistant professor of computer science

• Tiana Montgomery, program director of university services to East St. Louis

Patent recognition for multifunctional camera system for video assisted thoracic surgery:

• Timothy York, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

• Mitch McKay

• Mingshao Zhang, associate professor of Mech and Mechatronics Eng

Patent recognition for pathogen transport modeled biomimetic sensor, sensing method, and fresh food sanitization: 

• Mohammad Shavezipur, associate professor of Mech and Mechatronics Eng, 

• Minako Sumita

• Roya Mazrouei

Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award: 

• Cedric Harville II, assistant professor of applied health 

Distinguished Research Professor Award: 

• Kimberly Archer, professor of music