Convocation Ceremony Honors Outstanding Faculty

By Leila Ugincius

Virginia Commonwealth University honored four distinguished faculty members during the 28th Opening Faculty Address and Convocation ceremony in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday.

Convocation Reception Goes Green Attendees of this year’s Convocation ceremony and reception may have noticed a change from past receptions at Virginia Commonwealth University. Gone were the plastic, nonrecyclable plastic plates that are normally used. This year, the coordinators of the reception decided to go green with biodegradable food containers and compostable tableware. “Ever since our Go Green campaign started, I’ve noticed our receptions use those black, plastic plates that aren’t recyclable,” said Danielle J. Ransom of the Office of the Provost. “There’s a lot of waste.” Ransom worked with officials from Aramark, the university’s food service provider, to use only biodegradable materials or regular nonplastic plates that are not waste products. Not only were the materials biodegradable, they were compostable in most backyard compost systems and microwave-safe.

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., delivered a candid address to open the Convocation, which is an annual event that acknowledges the quality and excellence of the VCU faculty.

“It may be the trickiest of times,” Rao said, pointing out that the “era of incremental state funding for higher education is over.”

However, Rao expressed faith in the university community, saying that by working together the university could persevere.

“I do not accept the false dichotomy of the faculty being ‘over there’ and the administration being ‘over here,’” he said. “To achieve these goals will require a level of collaboration that I think this community is qualified to provide.”

Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., vice president for Health Sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System; Beverly J. Warren, Ed.D., Ph.D., interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine; and Kevin W. Allison, Ph.D., associate dean of Community Activities for the College of Humanities and Sciences, presented the awards.

Shiv N. Khanna, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Physics, was the recipient of the University Distinguished Scholarship Award.

A leader in the field of clusters and nanoscience, Khanna’s research primarily focuses on the theoretical study of atomic clusters, entities that contain up to a few dozen atoms. One significant contribution involves his work with superatoms.

William E. Haver, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, received the University Distinguished Teaching Award.

Haver has ensured that in math courses at VCU students join in the discussion rather than sit through a lecture from an instructor. Students also study real-world situations using mathematical tools.

“Almost every elementary school in Virginia has a reading specialist,” Haver has said. “Our goal is to have a math specialist in every school.”

Upon receiving his award, Haver said that improving student success in mathematics is a simple matter of teachers having a better understanding of both math and the capabilities of their students.

“The hard part is acting on this knowledge,” he said. “I’m part of a large and concerted effort at Virginia Commonwealth University to bring about this change.”

George W. Vetrovec, M.D., director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in the VCU Pauley Heart Center, received the University Distinguished Service Award.

Vetrovec spearheaded two fund-raising campaigns for the heart center, raising more than $15 million in professorships and research funding. His legacy includes cardiology trainees working in 25 states and seven countries.

“I thank everyone who has been a real contributor to so many things that we’ve had a chance to achieve with the Pauley Heart Center,” Vetrovec said, adding that one message he’d like to pass on to students would be that “the passion one could show for their work can be great fun and really provide opportunities for a career and a successful life.”

Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., professor and former chair of internal medicine at the School of Medicine and an internationally known expert on infectious diseases, was awarded the University Award of Excellence.

Through his innovative research and extensive scholarship, Wenzel’s work has benefited the greater community, as well as VCU. Wenzel stands as the most authoritative figure in the field of infectious diseases and epidemiology. His highly sought-after advice makes him a visible presence during health crises, including last spring’s H1N1 scare. Under his guidance, VCU’s residency program in internal medicine has earned national recognition as one of the country’s best.

“I’m delighted and honored to receive this award for doing what I enjoy most,” Wenzel said.

Rao closed the ceremony with more words of thanks for his colleagues.

“Every Convocation represents a beginning. It should be an inspiration and today it certainly has been,” he said. “You cannot say thank you too many times. You cannot thank your colleagues enough for all they do.”