News Release
____________________________________________________________
April 28, 2006
Bixby, Martin, Oxford Named Winners of 2006 Foundation
Scholars at Boise State
Boise State University professors Michael Bixby, Carol Martin and Julia
Oxford were named the winners of the university’s 15th Foundation Scholar
Awards. The awards have been given annually since 1992 for ongoing
commitment, expertise and accomplishment in teaching, professionally related
service, and research and creative activity. The 2006 winners will be
honored May 3 during a luncheon in the Student Union Lookout Room.
Bixby, a professor of management, was named winner of the Teaching Award;
Martin, director of graduate studies in the Department of English, was named
winner of the Service Award; and Oxford, an associate professor of biology,
received the Research/Creative Activity Award.
Bixby, who teaches business law in the College of Business and Economics,
was recognized for his concern for social issues and the legal and ethical
responsibilities of individuals and businesses to society and those less
fortunate. After earning a law degree from the University of Michigan, Bixby
and his wife, Sharon, spent the next two years as Peace Corps volunteers in
Jamaica where he served as a business adviser to a small fishermen’s
cooperative. After returning to the United States, Bixby worked as an
attorney with the Legal Services Program in Michigan and began to teach
business law classes at Eastern Michigan University as an adjunct instructor
before he joined Boise State in 1981.
On three occasions he has taught in the University Studies Abroad Consortium
for BSU, which gave him a new appreciation for different cultures, customs
and language. In his classes, Bixby consciously tries to demonstrate an
appreciation for different cultures and nationalities. Last year he
spearheaded the creation of a faculty Diversity Committee in the College of
Business and Economics and continues to serve as chair of that committee. In
addition to course creations and revisions, Bixby was the lead author for a
student-friendly textbook titled “The Legal Environment of Business.” First
published in 1996, the textbook is now in its third edition. Bixby is the
first professor from the College of Business to win a Foundation Scholar
Award.
Martin’s legacy of service at Boise State began soon after her appointment
as an assistant professor of English 34 years ago. Within several years of
her arrival, Martin was instrumental in finding funding for a public
television series on environmental issues. The success of this effort led to
Martin’s longtime involvement on the board of the Idaho Humanities Council
and more successes as a grant writer. Among the projects that she brought to
the BSU campus through state and national grants was a summer program for
high school students that focused on cultural diversity in Central America.
In addition, Martin’s commitment to gender issues has made her a pioneer in
woman studies on campus. Most noteworthy is her involvement in creating
several new courses in women’s literature in the English Department.
Martin’s commitment also extends to the community. She has served as a
member of the WCA’s board of directors and helped launched the
WCA-affiliated state organization Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN).
Another enduring legacy of her work with the WCA is the “Literature for
Lunch” program, a book discussion group that is now in its 25th year. She
was also one of the founding members of the City Club of Boise, a
non-partisan forum to promote discussion of state and local issues. She
served as a member of the City Club of Boise’s executive committee and board
president.
Oxford has held post-doctoral and research appointments at a number of
institutions including the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research,
Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children and Colorado State University. Upon
joining the biology faculty at Boise State in 2000, she quickly set out to
establish a world-class research program in biological systems with a focus
on structural and physical aspects of cellular and molecular systems. Her
recent work has focused on the role of proteins in the environment outside
living cells. Her work has resulted in 29 journal publications to date and
is supported through highly competitive grants from the National Institutes
of Health and the National Science Foundation.
In addition to elevating Boise State’s research reputation through her
personal accomplishments, Oxford has also devoted considerable energy to
developing Boise State’s and the state of Idaho’s research infrastructure.
She is co-principal investigator on the Idaho INBRE (Idea Network of
Biomedical Research Excellence) program, a $16.2 million,
multi-institutional program from NIH, which has brought $2.6 million to
Boise State to build lasting change in biomedical research opportunities and
to build the research infrastructure at Idaho universities.
“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 our faculty who create
a rich learning environment for our students, advance the boundaries of
knowledge, and serve their professions. Our ability to shine as a university
in all of these areas is what makes Boise State University a great place for
students to learn and for our faculty and staff to work.”
-30-
Contact: Sona Andrews, Provost, (208) 426-1202,
provost@boisestate.edu
Media Contact: Bob Evancho, University Communications, (208)
426-1643, bevanch@boisestate.edu
Boise State University is the largest institution of higher education in
Idaho with about 18,600 students and 2,200 faculty and staff. More than 190
undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and technical degrees are offered within
eight colleges. A metropolitan university located in the capital city, Boise
State is committed to life-enhancing research, teaching excellence and
public service.
The Office of Communications and Marketing
-
Boise State University
1910 University Drive -
Education Building, #726 -
Boise Idaho 83725-1030
208-426-1577
(fax)208-426-4001
email communications@boisestate.edu
Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007