The Wrap-Up: April
Ricardo Averbach, director of Orchestra Studies and professor of Music, has been named one of 11 finalists for The American Prize in Conducting (college/university orchestra division) for the 2026 award season.
Annastashia Blesi, assistant director of the Miller Center for Student Disability Services, was awarded the Dr. Lydia Block Rising Star Award by the Ohio Association on Higher Education and Disability (OH-AHEAD). This honor recognizes emerging professionals who demonstrate passion for disability services, exceptional service, and the capacity to lead in the field.
The Farmer School of Business Department of Entrepreneurship will have a new leader starting July 1. Siddharth (Sid) Vedula, associate professor of entrepreneurship at the Technical University of Munich, will take over the role previously held by Tim Holcomb.
John Virden, assistant vice president of Security, Compliance, and Risk Management, has been recognized by CISOsConnect™ as a Top 100 CISO. CISCO Connect is an exclusive organization dedicated to the professional and educational development of Chief Information Security Officers.
A paper co-authored by Marco Donoso ‘MS 22, David Gorchov, professor of Biology, and Hanna Leonard ‘22, was recognized by the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) as the 2024 Outstanding Paper - Invasive Plant Science and Management” It was featured on the WSSA website April 1: “Healthy Forests Require Combined Deer and Invasive Shrub Control,” The original paper, “Long-term interactive impacts of the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on a deciduous forest understory” was published in Invasive Plant Science and Management January 2024. Their research showed that if left unchecked, both overabundant white-tailed deer populations and invasive shrubs like Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) can devastate deciduous native tree regeneration. Yet, a management strategy focused only on deer, or only on invasive shrubs, results in little or no forest health improvement.
Catherine Almquist, professor of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, received $105,079 from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division for a project entitled "Development of Photocatalysts for Incorporation Into a Photocatalytic Device for the Destruction of Gas-Phase Contaminants Found in Cabin Air on Submarines."
Chun Liang, professor of Biology, Jessica Sparks, chair and professor of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Jennifer Blue, associate dean of the College of Arts and Science, Muhammad Jahan, associate professor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, and Tereza Jezkova, associate professor of Biology, received $71,488 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a project entitled "Choose Ohio First - Bioinformatics Innovators in Related STEM Fields (COF-BIRST)."
Liang also received $30,750 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a project entitled "Completion Grant: Choose Ohio First - Machine Learning Scholarship (#19.04)."
Sergeant Sharon Burkett of the Miami University Police Department received $103,540 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a project entitled "Campus Safety Grant Program 2024."
Cameron Hay-Rollins, chair and professor of Anthropology, received $57,794 from the Northwest Arthritis and Osteoporosis Institute, pass-through funds from Bristol-Myers Squibb, for a project entitled "Qualitative Study of the Sex And Gender Experience of People with Psoriatic Arthritis."
Jennifer Bulanda, associate professor of Sociology and Gerontology, received $53,564 from Khalifa University, pass-through funds from the Stevens Initiative at the Aspen Institute, for a project entitled "Quality of Life, Culture and Youth Wellbeing as a Global Challenge."
Heather Menne, Scrips Fellow and associate professor of Sociology and Gerontology, and Jennifer Kinney, in the Scripps Gerontology Center, received $19,797 from Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation for a project entitled "2025 Program Evaluation of the Kott Gerontology Scholars Program."
Yelizaveta Skryzhevska, regionals associate dean for academic affairs, and Erica Crawford, interim director of engagement, received $51,232 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a project entitled "Miami University Talent Ready Grant."
Yue Li, associate director of the Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, and Professional Development, received $48,697 from Lifetown Columbus for the project entitled "Evaluation of Stop to Live."
Brian Schultz, associate dean for external relations and partnerships in the College of Education, Health, and Society, received $32,000 from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation for the project entitled "TEACh Cincinnati Summer Funding."
Xianglong Feng, assistant professor, and Liran Ma, chair and professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering, received $10,000 from Backstory Preaching for a project entitled "BsP Preaching Appraiser Programs."
