Awards & Accolades

Jean-Luc Brédas wins the 2020 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society

Jean-Luc Brédas, professor of chemistry, has won the 2020 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society.

The award "recognizes exceptional advances made by materials theory to the fundamental understanding of the structure of behavior of materials," according to the MRS website.

Brédas' research specialties are energy science, materials and polymer chemistry, and theory, modeling and simulation. His research focuses on the properties of and interactions between organic and hybrid materials.

The Materials Research Society defines itself as "an organization of materials researchers worldwide that promotes communication for the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research and technology to improve the quality of life."

Brédas, who has been department head since July, will be honored with a $5,000 prize and a trophy, as well as an invitation to present during the 2020 Virtual MRS Spring/Fall Meeting.

Good wins APA career achievement award

Thomas L. Good, professor emeritus and former head of the Department of Educational Psychology, has won the E.L. Thorndike Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association Division 15.

The award – named for Edward Lee Thorndike, a psychologist known for his pioneering work on learning processes ­– recognizes "substantial, career-long achievements and contributions to the field" of educational psychology, according to the organization's website.

Good's research focuses on the communication of classroom performance expectations and the analysis of effective instruction, especially in schools that serve children who live in poverty. He joined the University in 1993 and retired in 2014. Good has been a Fulbright Fellow and was the longtime editor of The Elementary School Journal.

The APA bills itself as the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, boasting more than 121,000 members. APA's divisions are interest groups organized by members. Division 15 is focused on educational psychology.

Good was honored in August during the APA 2020 convention, held virtually.

Staten is appointed to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau council

Michael Staten, the Bart Cardon Associate Dean for Career and Academic Services in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been appointed to a two-year term on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Academic Research Council. The council advises the bureau on what consumer finance questions it should research as it regulates the consumer financial services industry.

"I'm honored to have been appointed to the committee at this stage of my career," Staten said. "I view this as a capstone experience that allows me to reach back over almost 40 years of work in the field to provide them a long perspective on the industry and the effects of both regulation of products and consumer education."

Staten joined the University in 2007. He is responsible for all academic programs for 3,600 students in CALS, across 18 undergraduate degrees in 10 academic departments, as well as more than 40 graduate degree and certificate programs. Staten is also former director of the Take Charge America Institute, which provides education outreach programs to teach financial literacy. His public policy research focuses on consumer and mortgage credit markets.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a government agency designed to "protect consumers from unfair, deceptive or abusive practices and take action against companies that break the law," according to its website.

Staten's term began Oct. 1 and runs through September 2022. Read more about Staten's appointment on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website.

University Communications, Tech Parks Arizona and an assistant professor win PRSA awards

The Office of University Communications and Tech Parks Arizona won a total of four IMPACT awards from the Public Relations Society of America's Southern Arizona chapter. Carolyn Smith Casertano, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Communication, was named PR Professional of the Year while the University chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America also won an IMPACT Award.

The winners were announced on Aug. 25.

PRSA is the world's largest public relations organization with over 21,000 members. The Southern Arizona chapter was established in 1979 and serves Tucosn, Sierra Vista, Wilcox and Yuma. The IMPACT Awards "recognize excellence in PR, marketing, and communications in Southern Arizona," according to the PRSA website.

The award-winning entries and the categories in which they won are:

IMPACT Award of Excellence

Women of the UA Tech Park
Tech Parks Arizona
General Marketing Communications

Tech Parks Arizona 25-Year Special Section in BizTucson
Tech Parks Arizona
Written Publication

2020 IMPACT Certificate of Excellence

Biodiversity Loss
Daniel Stolte, Office of University Communications
News/Media Release or PSA

COVID-19/Work-From-Home
Office of University Communications
Marketing Campaign or Program/Internal Communications

"Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholarship Campaign" Student Project
Public Relations Student Society of America, University of Arizona chapter
Student Project

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To submit your news, please send us an email with the following information:

• Name of the person, team or unit receiving the honor with full University titles.
• Information about the award/honor and the organization that granted it. Please include a link to the official announcement of the award/honor.
• When the honor was announced and when it will be presented (or was presented).
• A photo of the honoree. If others appear in the photo, please provide their names and identifying information, such as their University title or other affiliation.

Questions? Contact Lo Que Pasa at uaatwork@email.arizona.edu.