October 11, 2004
Reception honors two faculty members
CARBONDALE, Ill. - - Southern Illinois University Carbondale's College of Science will honor a pair of exceptional faculty members at a public reception Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Student Center's Ohio Room.
Members of the on and off-campus communities are welcome to celebrate the accomplishments of zoology professor Carey Krajewski, who will receive the college's 2003-04 Outstanding Researcher Award; and department chair and associate professor of microbiology John M. Martinko, the college's 2003-04 Outstanding Teacher.
They each received $3,000 travel allowances and $3,000 cash awards - - in recognition of their accomplishments - - from the office of the SIUC Provost and Vice Chancellor John M. Dunn.
Seeking and celebrating faculty excellence is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence through Commitment, a master plan the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.
A closer look at each of the honorees:
Krajewski is a highly productive science researcher, directs graduate studies in the science college and is founding director of the University's interdisciplinary Center for Systematic Biology.
His broader research interests are molecular systematics and evolution, avian and mammalian evolution and systematic methodology."He enjoys both a national and international recognition for his exceptional contributions in the areas of marsupial and crane evolution and biodiversity," said Jack M. Parker, dean of the College of Science.
Krajewski joined the faculty here in 1990 and made full professor in 2003.
"During his tenure at SIUC, professor Krajewski has amassed a remarkable and commendable record of research productivity," Parker said.
Since his arrival here, he has attracted nearly continuous funding from the National Science Foundation. A number of peer-reviewed science journals have published more than 40 articles he penned on his findings.
The National Science Foundation called on Krajewski to review manuscripts written by other scientists for 28 separate journals.
Parker said: "There can be no stronger professional endorsement of an individual's research accomplishments than being asked to review grants and manuscripts or to be considered a candidate for National Science Foundation program service. Professor Krajewski was selected as an Honorary Research Fellow for the department of genetics at LaTrobe University in Australia."
He also belongs to eight professional societies and serves either as associate editor or sits on the editorial board of two major science journals, The Journal of Mammalian Evolution and the journal of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
"Paralleling his research and scholarly contributions, professor. Krajewski has maintained a first-rate graduate training program that has produced numerous graduates who have gone on to personal and professional successes. As a faculty advisor and graduate advisory committee member, his research expertise has provided data handling, experimental design and statistical an integral part of the departments comprehensive graduate training program," Parker added.
He earned a bachelor's in biology/geology from Bemidji State University in Minn. (1982) and master's and doctoral degrees in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1985, 1988).
After that, he did post-doctoral training at the Smithsonian Institute's Laboratory of Molecular Systematics. Martinko joined the University's faculty in 1981, earned the rank of associate professor in 1988 and in 1994 became chair of the microbiology department. He also became the first director of University's graduate program in molecular biology, microbiology and biochemistry, a post he held from 1996-2000.
At the graduate level, he teaches an advanced class in immunology and has mentored almost 20 graduate students to complete either master's or doctorate degrees. In addition, he tutors first-year medical school students studying on the Carbondale campus.He's taught classes at several levels at SIUC. On the undergraduate level, he's instructed four different classes, ranging from large, general biology courses, to introductory microbiology to upper level immunology lectures and laboratory sessions.
"Professor Martinko presents his material in a concise and understandable way that helps to inspire students to think about infectious diseases and the role of hosts' immunity in protection against them," noted Parker.
Martinko also authored sections on immunology and medical microbiology in the five most recent editions of the internationally renowned textbook "Brock Biology of Microorganisms."
In addition to formal courses, he's taught minority teen-agers participating in a National Institutes of Health program and worked with high schoolers enrolled in a Howard Hughes Medical Institute-sponsored program on biomedical education.
Locally, he's been active in science programs for elementary and high school students and high school teachers.
Martinko earned his master's and doctorate degrees at State University of New York in Buffalo (1976, 1978). He also did post-doctoral study in the department of microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.