Dean Michael Lairmore of the School of Veterinary Medicine has been appointed to a five-year term on the National Institutes of Health Council of Councils, an interdisciplinary board that advises the NIH director.

“Meeting the other transdisciplinary scientists on the committee — all high-level scientists from different backgrounds — brings an intellectual excitement, but you also learn from their perspective and bring it back,” said Lairmore, who himself bridges multiple disciplines to address basic questions related to viral causes of cancer. His research has provided significant breakthroughs in the biology of human retroviruses and the understanding of viral-associated carcinogenesis.

The council has a membership of about 30, including representatives from the advisory councils of NIH institutes and centers, and representatives nominated by programs affiliated that operate out of the director’s office, and broad lay representation, including a member of the NIH Council of Public Representatives.

“As a veterinarian with a One Health background, I feel that I can bring a unique perspective to the group,” Lairmore said. “I’m proud to represent UC Davis at the national level.”

Dean Jennifer Sinclair Curtis of the College of Engineering has been named the recipient of the 2018 Thomas and Donna Edgar CACHE Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering Education, specifically the development of computer aids.

The award is given by the American Society for Engineering Education and its Chemical Engineering Division, and Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering, or CACHE, a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to promote cooperation among universities, industry and government in the development and distribution of computer-related and-or technology-based educational aids for the chemical engineering profession.

The award comprises a $1,000 honorarium and a plaque to be presented during the Chemical Engineering Division’s awards banquet at the ASEE’s annual conference, to be held this year in Salt Lake City, June 24-27.

The College of Engineering recently presented its second annual Outstanding Staff Awards, recognizing employees whose performance demonstrated a strong commitment to the UC Davis Principles of Community, the mission and vision of the college, and exemplary service to the campus community.

Nominated by their peers and selected by the college’s Staff Advisory Committee, here are the winners:

• Sherry Batin, research and development engineer, Engineering Student Design Center
• Nancy Davis, student advisor, Engineering Undergraduate Office
• Thao Pham, undergraduate program coordinator and advisor, Department of Computer Science
• Lili Scheiber, research administrator, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Read more about the recipients.

John Iacovelli’s ‘world of design’

The scenic designer, a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, recently received a distinguished achievement award from the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology, or USITT. Video shown during the awards ceremony at the USITT Conference and Stage Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, “provides a glimpse into Iacovelli’s world of design.” [Click on box to watch video.]

Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of faculty and staff awards, for publication in Laurels. Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.

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