January Faculty and Staff Features

Nicholas Frankel, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of English

Frankel’s work as editor on “The Picture of Dorian Gray: An Annotated, Uncensored Edition,” by Oscar Wilde was honored this week when the book was announced as a winner of a 2012 Stonewall Book Award from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association.

The Stonewall Book Awards are given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. Winners will receive their awards at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim in June.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” which was published by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press last year, will receive a special Stonewall Book Award called a Barbara Gittings Literature and Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award Honor Book in recognition of “its place as a unique text bridging the Literature and Non-Fiction categories.”

Frankel revisited Wilde’s original typescript and restored “Dorian Gray” to the form in which Wilde submitted it for publication in the late 19^th century. Material considered obscene at the time was cut from the original manuscript, and Wilde’s submitted version had never before been published. Frankel contributed extensive footnotes to the work and also wrote general and textual introductions.

Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine

Wenzel, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, is the recipient of the John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award from the Harris County Medical Society (HCMS), the professional association for Harris County physicians, and the Houston Academy of Medicine (HAM), the scientific and charitable organization of HCMS.

The national award is presented annually by HAM to recognize a physician who exemplifies the ideals of Sir. William Osler—medical excellence, humane and ethical care, commitment to medical humanities and writing, research and harmony between the academic and medical practitioner. The award is named after its first recipient, John P. McGovern, M.D., who founded the American Osler Society. 

Blue Wooldridge, D.P.A., professor of public administration, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Wooldridge received the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration's 2011 Social Justice Curriculum Award for incorporating a social justice focus into his “Financial Management in Government” course, which explores general concepts, principles and techniques of financial management as they are applied in governmental units and agencies.

Woodridge received the award in October during the 2011 NASPAA Annual Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration is the membership association of graduate programs in public administration, public policy and public affairs. The association promotes excellence in education and training for public service and the ideal of public service.

Wooldridge, a professor of public administration in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, teaches courses in public and non-profit management, organizational behavior, governmental financial management, human resource management, principles of public administration, public administration theory and public policy analysis, formulation and implementation.

Wooldridge’s research interests include identifying and overcoming barriers to programs that promote social equity, increasing the effectiveness of management education and training, privatization issues, local government budgeting issues and trends, obstacles to the implementation of innovations in public organizations and learning styles of international and U.S. public managers.

Kathryn L. Holloway, M.D., professor, Department of Neurosurgery

The Rutgers University Alumni Association will induct Holloway, who also serves as the chief of neurosurgery at the Hunter Holmes McGuire V.A. Medical Center, into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni on May 5.

“As a neurosurgery pioneer, she was an integral leader in developing a new approach to deep brain stimulation, which treats Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders,” a Rutgers news release said.

“I may have gotten my start at Rutgers, but it was at VCU that I have achieved all of my successes,” Holloway said. “Thus VCU stands with me in receiving the honor.”

Sharing the distinction with U.S. senators, U.S. Supreme Court justices, governors, CEOs and university presidents, Holloway is one of 206 honorees over the past 50 years to be named to the Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She is one of three female full professors of neurosurgery in the nation and played an integral role in the establishment of the Parkinson ’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) at the V.A., which played a large role in developing the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center. Together with other doctors from VCU’s School of Medicine, Holloway competed with multiple centers across the country to ensure PADRECC was chosen as one of six centers of excellence in the nation.

Jack Martin Brandt, disability policy specialist for the Partnership for People with Disabilities
Brandt is an appointee for the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Brandt to this key administration post earlier this month.

In his role at VCU, Brandt focuses on developing and promoting evidence-based and person-centered practices to improve outcomes in self-advocacy for people with intellectual and development disabilities. Brandt also serves on the Virginia Community Integration Advisory Commission and the Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council. In 2006, he received the Jackie Crews Award for Excellence in Leadership from the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities.

Brandt received a B.A. from James Madison University and is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from VCU.

Yuki Hibben, James Branch Cabell Library

Hibben has been named assistant head of special collections and archives at James Branch Cabell Library. In this new position, Hibben will focus on building James Branch Cabell's top-tier collections in the fine arts. She will shape and expand VCU Libraries' collections in comic arts, book art, manuscripts and archival collections as well as focusing on unique or rare library-appropriate materials that support the School of the Arts.

Hibben's background is well-suited to the focus and goals of VCU Libraries. She previously served as interim head of special collections and archives, collection librarian for the arts and archival assistant. She has worked as an archival assistant for Special Collections at the College of William and Mary, and as an adjunct art instructor at VCU, Drexel and Temple.

She holds a master's of science in library science from the Catholic University of America, a master's degree in fine arts in sculpture from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and a bachelor's degree in fine arts from the College of William and Mary.

John Ulmschneider, University Librarian, VCU Libraries

The University of North Carolina School of Information and Library Science selected Ulmschneider as a distinguished alumnus for 2011. The UNC school is ranked No. 1 in the nation in information and library sciences by U.S. News & World Report. Ulmschneider earned his master's degree in library science at UNC in 1977.

The SILS Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding professional library or information science achievements at national, state or local levels or who have provided outstanding service to the school or its Alumni Association.

Also, Boomer magazine selected Ulmschneider for its "It List." The December-January issue honors 10 citizens who are inspirational, influential and interesting, including Ulmschneider, who was featured in the article "10 Who Made a Difference in 2011."

Yuichi Motai, Ph.D., assistant professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Raj R. Rao, Ph.D., associate professor, Chemical Engineering
Vishnu-Baba Sundaresan, Ph.D., assistant professor, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering
Hu Yang, Ph.D., Qimonda associate professor, Biomedical Engineering
The School of Engineering professors were awarded the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Award. Motai was honored for his Engineering Data-intensive Prediction and Classification for Medical Testbeds with Nonlinear, Distributed, and Interdisciplinary Approaches. Rao was recognized for his propagation systems for generation of chromosomally stable human embryonic stem cells. Sundaresan was honored for his Ionic Transistor Devices for Sensing and Controlled Actuation - An Integrated Research, Teaching and Community Outreach Program. And Yang was recognized for his Surface-engineering of monocytes for anticancer drug delivery.

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.

Nancy Langston, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, dean and professor, School of Nursing
Langston has been elected chair of the board of trustees of the National League for Nursing Foundation for Nursing Education.

Langston served as president from 1999 to 2001, at which time she was founding chair of the foundation, which promotes excellence in nursing education. Since 1991, she has served as dean and professor of the VCU School of Nursing. Under her leadership, the school has risen in national rankings. It is one of the top 25 nursing schools nationwide for research funded by the National Institutes of Health, and U.S. News and World Report ranks it among the top 10 percent of nursing graduate programs in the nation. The School of Nursing is also a national model for community engagement through its Community Nursing Organization.

Ruth Bolduan, professor, School of the Arts, Department of Painting and Printmaking

Bolduan, who is teaching at VCU in Qatar during the 2011-12 academic year, was awarded the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) Award for Excellence in Teaching at the 2011 SECAC in Savannah, Ga. The award is given in recognition of outstanding teaching by a SECAC member who demonstrates an exceptional command of his or her discipline through the ability to teach effectively, impart knowledge and inspire students. Jurors noted that the evidence in Bolduan’s nomination packet showed her to be an excellent and inventive teacher with impressive commitment to the fundamentals of painting and extensive departmental service.

“I am deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from SECAC in recognition of my teaching and deeply indebted to my excellent students for making it possible,” Bolduan said. “I believe that my students and I work together for the love of making paintings, and I am particularly happy to be here in Doha this year, sharing ideas, images, and experiences with the dedicated and creative students in our painting and printmaking department.”

Bolduan grew up in Germany and the Washington, D.C., area. In 1980, she earned an MFA in Painting from The American University and was awarded the Kreeger Purchase Prize. Since then, her work has been exhibited throughout the country and internationally, and she has been the recipient of many grants, awards, and residencies. Last year she received a prestigious painting commission from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.