2009-10 Wilson H. Elkins Professorships Support Student Engagement, Public Service
Adelphi,
Md. (Nov. 17, 2009) - The 2009-10 University System of Maryland
(USM) Wilson H. Elkins Professorships
offer undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to engage with selected
faculty in advanced study of such fields as environmental sustainability,
geographical mapping, physics and astronomy during the academic year.
The Elkins
Professorships support professors and researchers who demonstrate exemplary
ability to inspire students and whose professional work and scholarly endeavors
make a positive impact beyond USM.
Candidates
for the Elkins Professorship must possess a solid record of achievement in
their academic or professional disciplines; demonstrate a desire and ability to
lead and inspire undergraduate and graduate students; show significant
achievement beyond their traditional disciplines; and demonstrate ability and
intent to pursue scholarly or professional endeavors beyond USM.
This
year's award winners are:
John Morgan, professor in the
Towson University Department of Geography and Environmental Planning. Dr.
Morgan is the recipient of an $80,000 award to support his proposal for
developing a Google Maps-based emergency mapping system for the state of Maryland.
Steven Lev, associate
professor in the Towson University Department of Physics, Astronomy and
Geosciences. Dr. Lev is the recipient of a $52,000 award to enhance the profile
of the Urban Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory by supporting four
undergraduate research students. The funding will support curriculum revisions
in the university's environmental science master's program.
Danny Ervin, associate
professor in the Salisbury University Department of Finance. Dr. Ervin is the
recipient of a $67,500 award to support the third year of the ShoreENERGY
program, based in the Perdue School of Business, which facilitates practical
and academic research on energy topics of concern to the Maryland Eastern
Shore.
Michael Scott, associate
professor in the Salisbury University Department of Geography and Geosciences.
Dr. Scott has been awarded $80,000 to fund the development and distribution of
geographic information system (GIS)
toolkits for regional government, communities and non-profit organizations. Dr.
Scott is also the director of the Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative.
The
Professorship honors the late Wilson H. Elkins, who led the University of
Maryland flagship campus to new levels of distinction as its president from
1954 to 1978. The Wilson H. Elkins Endowment Fund supports the professorship
awards in combination with institutional and system resources. This endowment
and others like it further USM's
mission of teaching, research, and public service.
For more
information, visit the Wilson H. Elkins
Professorship web page.
Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu
