June Faculty and Staff Features

Bonny Bukaveckas, Ph.D., VCU School of Pharmacy
Buckaveckas, assistant professor in the VCU School of Pharmacy, received a Pfeiffer Grant of about $73,000 to study “Personalized Medicine: Anticoagulation Treatment.” This is the first successful VCU application for this award and is a new collaborative project between VCU, the VCU Health System and the McGuire Veteran Affairs Medical Center to develop new tools for personalized medicine and then to evaluate those tools prospectively. The study has been under way for approximately one year and has some preliminary results of cost savings and reduced instances of adverse effects in patients.

Stephen Fong, Ph.D., Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering
Fong, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, was one of 25 junior faculty award winners of the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award. The award recognizes work in five science and technology branches, including life sciences; engineering or applied science; mathematics and computer science; physical sciences; and policy, management or education. The annual selection of winners was made by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Fong will receive a $5,000 grant, which will be used to enhance his research and provide financing prospects for his career. Each recipient’s institution matches the ORAU award with an additional $5,000, making the total prize worth $10,000 for each honoree.

Robert L Schneider, Ph.D., professor of social work
Schneider was recently honored for his accomplishments in and dedication to gerontology social work. The Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work presented Schneider with its 2006 Career Achievement award in February. The group recognized Schneider as a leader in developing curriculum and infusion models for aging at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Schneider served as founding president of the association from 1981 to 1985.