Awards and Certifications From March 3
Two UM Chemists Among Last Decade's Most Influential: Two of the most influential chemists of the last decade are University of Michigan professors, according to a new independent analysis based on the number of citations researchers' papers received. Professors Nicholas Kotov and Charles Brooks are included on the Thomson Reuters Science Watch list "Top 100 Chemists, 2000-2010." Kotov is a faculty member in the departments of Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. Brooks is the Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Chemistry and a faculty member in the biophysics program. The list celebrates the achievements of chemists and chemical engineers whose papers made the highest impact in the discipline since January 2000. Kotov's 78 papers have been cited more than 4,800 times and Brooks' 67 were referenced 3,778 times. Kotov also ranked in the top 25 most influential materials scientists. In recent years, Kotov has developed a transparent plastic that's as strong as steel and inspired by seashells, and a carbon-nanotube-coated "smart yarn" that conducts electricity and could be woven into soft fabrics that detect blood and monitor health. Brooks' work focuses on understanding the forces that determine the structure of proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and complexes containing these important biological molecules. He has been recognized for his pioneering work in computational biophysics with a Computerworld Smithsonian Award, which includes a permanent exhibit of his work in the Smithsonian Institute. More at http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/misc/Top100Chemists2000-10.
UM Prof Wins Fellowship For Environmental Research: University of Michigan professor Andy Hoffman is among 20 environmental researchers in North America selected as one of 20 Leopold Leadership Fellows for 2011. Fellows are chosen for their outstanding qualifications as researchers, demonstrated leadership ability and strong interest in communicating beyond traditional academic audiences. Based at Stanford University's Woods Institute for the Environment, the Leopold Leadership Program helps outstanding academic environmental scientists make their knowledge accessible to decision-makers and the public. Fellows receive intensive leadership and communications training to help them engage effectively with policymakers, journalists, business leaders and communities confronting complex decisions about sustainability and the environment.
Hoffman, the Holcim (U.S.) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at UM's Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources and Environment, specializes in research on the cultural and institutional aspects of environmental issues for corporations, governments and nongovernmental organizations. Hoffman, who also serves as associate director of UM's Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, has published eight books and more than 90 articles and book chapters on environmental and social issues as they relate to business. His books include: "Memo to the CEO: Climate Change, What's Your Business Strategy?" "Carbon Strategies: How Leading Corporations Are Reducing Their Climate Change Footprint" and "Getting Ahead of the Curve: Corporate Strategies that Address Climate Change." The Leopold Leadership Program was created in 1998 by marine ecologist and environmental scientist Jane Lubchenco, currently the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More at http://andrewhoffman.net.
