UW News

August 20, 2020

Faculty/staff honors: Public service award, endowed professorship, cybersecurity grant — and a UW professor among Talented 12

Recent honors and grants to University of Washington faculty and staff have come from the American Chemical Society, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Science Board and the family of engineers Ganesh and Hema Moorthy.

Jessica Ray, UW assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named a member of the 2020 Talented 12 list of young chemists working to solve world problems by the weekly newsmagazine Chemical & Engineering News, or C&EN.

Jessica Ray

Jessica Ray named among Talented 12 ‘young stars’ by chemical and engineering newsmagazine

Jessica Ray, UW assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named a member of the 2020 Talented 12 list of young chemists working to solve world problems by the weekly newsmagazine Chemical & Engineering News, or C&EN.

The honors, bestowed each year since 2015, highlight a dozen “rising young stars who are using chemical know-how to change the world.” Ray, who joined the UW in 2019, researches composites, surface chemistry and targeted removal and recovery of wastewater constituents. She is developing low-cost selective absorbents to remove toxic compounds from wastewater and improve drinking water.

The Talented 12 honorees will give short TED-style talks about their research during a two-day symposium that will be part of the magazine’s free inaugural online Futures Festival Aug. 25 and 26.

The magazine is a publication of the American Chemical Society. Read an article about this honor and Ray’s work on the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering website.

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Richard Ladner receives National Science Board 2020 Public Service Award

The National Science Board has named UW computer scientist Richard Ladner recipient of its 2020 Public Service Award, honoring his career of contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering.

Richard Ladner

The National Science Board has named UW computer scientist Richard Ladner recipient of its 2020 Public Service Award, honoring his career of contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering.

Ladner is a professor emeritus in the UW’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. The board, called the NSB for short, was created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950. Its dual roles are to establish science policy and to serve as an independent body of advisers to the nation’s leaders. The award was established in 1996.

The board honored Ladner, who has championed digital accessibility and inclusivity, for “demonstrated exemplary science communication and diversity advocacy throughout his career and has been called the ‘conscience of computing.'”

Victor McCrary, NSB vice chair, said, “We cannot exclude anyone when it comes to the important pursuit of scientific advancement. Richard Ladner’s work has significantly enlarged the circle of perspectives at the bench, and by welcoming and empowering those with disabilities to fully contribute he has greatly enhanced and advanced our nation’s global leadership in science, engineering, and technology.”

Read more on the Allen School’s website.

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Maryam Fazel chosen for inaugural Moorthy family endowed professorship

Maryam Fazel, UW professor and associate chair in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, has been named the first recipient of the new Moorthy Family Inspiration Career Development Professorship, for her work as a researcher and educator.

Maryam Fazel

Maryam Fazel, UW professor and associate chair in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, has been named the first recipient of the new Moorthy Family Inspiration Career Development Professorship, for her work as a researcher and educator.

Fazel co-directs the UW Algorithmic Foundations of Data Science Institute and holds adjunct appointments in the mathematics and statistics departments at the UW, as well as the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. Her research focuses on data science, robotics and controls.

The professorship, funded by an endowment established in 2019 by Ganesh and Hema Moorthy, recognizes the support they received from the family and in turn are passing on to other generations. Ganesh Moorthy, president and chief operating officer of Microchip Technology, earned a BA in physics from the UW in 1981 and has served on the department’s advisory board. Hema Moorthy, an electrical engineer, worked at Hewlett-Packard for many years.

The endowment supports faculty members who have shown significant promise early in their careers. Read more on the department website.

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Jackson School gets $200,000 cybersecurity grant from Carnegie Corp of New York

Reşat Kasaba, professor of international studies, is principal investigator for the grant. Other participating faculty are Jessica Beyer, Sara Curran and Stephen Meyers — all faculty members in the Jackson School. The grant will provide research opportunities for students as well.

Reşat Kasaba

The UW Jackson School of International Studies has received a $200,000 grant for cybersecurity research from Carnegie Corporation of New York.

The grant will support the expansion of the Global Research Group including its cybersecurity training program in the Jackson School’s International Policy Institute, which was funded by previous grants by Carnegie. The aim is to bridge the gap between academia and the policy world.

Reşat Kasaba, professor of international studies, is principal investigator for the grant. Other participating faculty are Jessica Beyer, Sara Curran and Stephen Meyers — all faculty members in the Jackson School. The grant will provide research opportunities for students as well.

Read more on the Jackson School website.

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