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News Release
 
BOISE STATE NEWS RELEASE / May 7, 2008
Gribb, Novak and Otterness Named Winners of 2008 Foundation
Scholars Awards at Boise State
Boise State University professors Molly Gribb, Steve Novak and Nancy
Otterness were named the winners of the university’s 17th Foundation Scholar
Awards. The awards have been given annually since 1992 for ongoing
commitment, expertise and accomplishment in teaching, research and creative
activity and professionally related service. The 2008 winners were honored
today during a reception in the Student Union.
Gribb, a professor of civil engineering, was named for the Research Award;
Novak, an associate professor of biology, won for the Teaching Award; and
Otterness, an associate professor of nursing, was named for the Service
Award.
Gribb, who joined Boise State in 2000, focuses her research on subsurface
soil and ground water contamination. She has been developing instruments to
better understand the movement and detect contaminants in the subsurface,
which can be used to predict risks to human health and the environment. She
has received more than $6 million in research funding and has more than 30
publications to her name. Gribb places a high value on the development of
future research scientists through active mentoring and research
collaborations with both undergraduates and post-graduates. She has mentored
six post-doctoral associates, 16 graduate students and 25 undergraduate
students.
Since arriving at Boise State in 1993, Novak has taught a diversity of
courses ranging from general biology for non-majors to graduate level
courses in advanced evolutionary biology. Many of these courses were not
only new to Boise State University, but new to the field of biology in
general. Novak has developed coursework that encompasses the methodology
employed in evolutionary science that is effective and cutting edge. In
addition to formal classes, Novak has mentored numerous undergraduate and
graduate students in not only the gathering of data, but how to analyze and
interpret the results. As a result many of his students have continued their
education and have become the next generation of research scientists.
Otterness, who has been at Boise State for 26 years, and her students have
developed a strong reputation for their public service locally and as far
away as China. For the past six years, Service-Learning has been part of her
public health nursing students’ curriculum, giving them perspective on how
to handle real-life unexpected situations in their professional field. She
is a leader in the use of technology as a teaching aide and staying abreast
of best practices through professional development.
Nick Miller, professor of history, was a finalist for the Research/Creative
Activity Award; Rickie Miller, an associate professor in curriculum,
instructional and foundational studies was a finalist for the Service Award;
and Troy Rohn, an associate professor in biology was a finalist for the
Teaching Award.
“In congratulating the recipients of these awards, we acknowledge their
outstanding work and dedication,” said Sona Andrews, Boise State’s provost
and vice president for academic affairs. “They and the former recipients of
these awards have distinguished themselves in these areas. Their students
and colleagues have recognized the special contributions they have made.
“At the same time we bestow these individual recognitions on a select number
of our faculty, it is important that we recognize the contributions made by
all faculty members at Boise State University. It is their combined efforts
that create the academic excellence, vibrant culture, community
partnerships, and exceptional research that is moving us toward becoming a
metropolitan research university of distinction.”
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Media Contact: Mike Journee, University Communications, (208)
426-1517,
mikejournee@boisestate.edu
AfterWork is a new Boise State University program that allows adults to
complete their entire bachelor’s degree through a combination of evening,
weekend and online classes without exiting from their career track. More
information is available at
www.boisestate.edu/afterwork.
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Last reviewed on
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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