Awards and Accolades

Díaz de la Rubia named National Academy of Inventors fellow

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Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and partnerships, has been elected to the newest class of National Academy of Inventors fellows, the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The designation honors academic inventors whose work improves lives, strengthens the economy and benefits society.

Díaz de la Rubia, who joined the University of Arizona in November 2024, holds seven U.S. patents in the field of materials engineering and has been recognized for contributions to scientific fusion ignition, a major milestone for global science and energy. 

Díaz de la Rubia is one of 185 inventors being elected to the 2025 class of NAI fellows. The cohort includes 169 U.S. academic and institutional inventors and 16 international fellows. The formal induction ceremony will be held June 4, 2026, during the NAI's annual conference in Los Angeles.

Read more about the honor on the university's news website.

Talanquer wins international teaching prize

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Vicente Talanquer, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has won the Nyholm Prize for Education from the Royal Society of Chemistry. The prize honors individuals who make substantial impact in chemistry through innovation, curriculum development and teaching practices.

Talanquer's work examines why students struggle with certain chemical ideas and how to teach in ways that make those concepts easier to understand. He developed the "Chemical Thinking" curriculum, which makes chemistry more relevant to students by connecting it to issues such as health and the environment.

Founded in 1841, the Royal Society of Chemistry is one of the oldest and most respected science societies in the world, representing over 60,000 members.

Read more about Talanquer's work on the College of Science website.

Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media team wins Cornerstone Award

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The design-build and construction team behind the Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media, the new home of Arizona Public Media, has won the Cornerstone Award for Project Team of the Year from the Cornerstone Building Foundation.

The team behind the center, which broke ground in January 2024 and reached substantial completion this fall, was led by DPR Construction, SmithGroup, Swaim Associates, Russ Berger Design Group, and Planning, Design and Construction at the University of Arizona. The center features radio, podcast and television studios with advanced production capabilities, an audio performance studio and a digital conference center and rooftop deck.

The Cornerstone Building Foundation was co-founded in 1994 by Robert Hershberger, professor emeritus of architecture, to advocate and recognize excellence in the design and construction industry. The team was honored Nov. 11 at the foundation's awards gala in Tucson.

Read more about the honor on Arizona Public Media's website.

Kraehe, Shin elected NAEA fellows

Amy Kraehe, associate vice president for organizational excellence and impact with Arizona Arts, and Ryan Shin, professor in the School of Art, have been elected distinguished fellows of the National Art Education Association. The distinction recognizes excellence in art education research.

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Kraehe's work focuses on how social, economic and political forces shape how people build their professional identities and how educational and cultural organizations grow and operate. Shin's research focuses on Asian popular media and culture, Asian critical theory and decolonization, global civic engagement and visual culture.

The National Art Education Association is a nonprofit organization representing visual arts, design and media arts educators. The association works to connect professionals to learning, research and collaboration resources throughout the industry.

Read more about the designations on the Arizona Arts website.