UNL Research Honorary Chapter Announces 2004 Award Winners

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Sigma Xi, the research honorary society, has announced the winners of its 2004 awards for outstanding research, outstanding support of research, and outstanding science teaching.

Seven individuals were honored, including three UNL faculty members, two UNL graduate students, one UNL staff member, and one high school science teacher. The award winners will be recognized at Sigma Xi's annual awards and initiation banquet on April 27.

Reuben D. Rieke, Ameritas university professor of chemistry, won the Outstanding Scientist Award for the discovery and development of procedures for preparing active metals, known as "Rieke Metals," and for investigations of the new chemistry these active metals have made possible.

Bernard Doudin, associate professor of physics and astronomy, and Xiao Cheng Zeng, Willa Cather professor of chemistry, were selected for Outstanding Young Scientist Awards. Doudin was cited for investigations of the novel magnetic and transport properties of nanostructured nanowires and nanocontacts. Zeng was cited for the discovery and investigation of novel forms of water existing within confined spaces as well as for the discovery of the novel, metal-like properties of nanometer-sized silicon tubes.

Hae-Kyung Jeong and Cheol-Soo Yang of the Department of Physics and Astronomy were selected for Outstanding Graduate Student Awards. Jeong was cited for very high research productivity, for outstanding thesis research on electron-phonon coupling in local moment systems, and for the design and construction of a spin-polarized electron energy loss spectrometer. Yang was cited for perseverance, enthusiasm, and scientific integrity in obtaining novel research results on the electrical properties of metallic contacts comprising only a few atoms.

Shelli Krupicka was selected for the Support of Research Award. She was cited for outstanding, efficient, and intelligent work since 1990 as administrative coordinator for the University of Nebraska Center for Materials Research and Analysis.

Robert D. Curtright of Lincoln Northeast High School was selected for the Outstanding High School Science Teacher Award. He was cited for outstanding expertise, dedication, and professionalism as both a science teacher and department chair at Northeast, as well as for the development of many innovative methods for teaching science.

Sigma Xi is an international research society whose programs and activities promote the health of the scientific enterprise and honor scientific achievement. There are nearly 75,000 Sigma Xi members in more than 500 chapters at colleges and universities, industrial research centers and government laboratories. The University of Nebraska chapter was organized in 1897. For further information on the UNL chapter, see its Web site.

CONTACT: Anthony Starace, George Holmes University Professor, Physics & Astronomy, (402) 472-2795