Spring Honors for Schmid College Faculty Recognitions for research, pedagogy and mentorship

Faculty in Schmid College of Science and Technology have been recognized with a number of university awards this spring:

Rosalee Hellberg, associate professor of food science, has been recognized with the university’s Award in Mentorship of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity. Students in Hellberg’s lab have worked on projects ranging from developing methods for detecting salmonella in meat alternatives to identifying the mislabeling of seafood on grocery store shelves. In the last three years alone, these efforts have resulted in her students co-authoring eight different peer-reviewed publications and presenting at 13 regional and national meetings.

Richelle Tanner, assistant professor of environmental science and policy, has also been recognized with the university’s Award in Mentorship of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity. Tanner’s recent award from California Sea Grant’s Pathways to Inclusive Research Training program provides paid opportunities for both Chapman University students and students from local community colleges. Students from her lab have presented at conferences including the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and the Society for Experimental Biology.

Patricia C. Lopes, recently tenured and promoted to associate professor of biological sciences, has been awarded the Wang-Fradkin Junior Professorship for 2024-2026. The Wang-Fradkin Professorships are named in honor of Hua-Cheng Wang, a distinguished political scientist and diplomat, and Dr. Cheng-Mei Wang Fradkin, who was professor of Biology and chair of the division of Natural Sciences until her death in 1983. Lopes is a behavioral neuroendocrinologist with expertise in how social environment changes animals’ sickness behavior. She was recently awarded a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for her research.

Brennan McDavid, an assistant professor of philosophy, has been awarded a Pedagogical Innovation Award in collaboration with colleague Erik Kimbrough. The award will help support the development of a new course, entitled “Dangerous Ideas,” a first-year seminar intended to facilitate discussion of challenging societal topics through the analysis of rationale arguments and assessment of quality of evidence. The course will count among its topics the Israeli-Palestine Conflict, transgender athletes, and climate change.

Criselda Toto Pacioles, instructional associate professor of mathematics, has also been awarded a Pedagogical Innovation Award for a project that will develop and implement a Summer Math Boot Camp for incoming non-STEM students. Through intensive instruction, personalized support, and interactive activities, the project will bridge the gap between high school and college mathematics and empower students to excel in their academic pursuits.

In addition, Professors Hagop Atamian, Andrew Jordan, Carolyn Sherff and Maduka Ogba were recognized with unit excellence awards.