University Times

Juan J. Manfredi, vice provost for undergraduate studies and faculty member in mathematics, has been elected a foreign member of the Societies Academy (Class of Natural Sciences) of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters for his accomplishments in the field of mathematics.

This honor recognizes his collaborative ventures with researchers at the Norwegian Technical University of Trondheim, the Mittag-Leffler Institute in Stockholm, and with colleagues at other Scandinavian institutions. His research focuses on the partial differential equations that govern the nonlinear potential theory of quasi-regular mappings in higher dimensions, their sub-elliptic extensions and their game theoretic interpretations.

Manfredi has published extensively in the major peer-reviewed journals of his discipline and has had strong National Science Foundation (NSF) support for his research.

The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, the oldest learned academy in Norway, has promoted scientific scholarship since its founding in 1760.

Maureen Kendall has joined the Office of Human Resources as director of compensation.

Kendall has more than 20 years’ experience in the insurance and health care industries. She most recently was director of compensation for Highmark where she provided leadership, design and administrative oversight for a number of their compensation plans.

At Pitt, she will not only play a role in the day-to-day operations of the compensation department, but also will be key in designing and deploying University-wide initiatives.

School of Pharmacy faculty member Raman Venkataramanan received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Association of Indian Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAiPS). Venkataramanan, of pharmaceutical sciences, was recognized for his outstanding contributions in the field.

AAiPS’s mission is to provide a forum for discussion, continuing education and the exchange of ideas on advances in pharmaceutical science and technology.

, technology and media services director in the School of Education, has received Blackboard Inc.’s Exemplary Course Program Award. The award recognizes higher education officials who have best emphasized learning and technology through the design of engaging and innovative courses.

Loutzenhiser was recognized for “Introduction to Online Instruction,” a three-week class that taught best practices and strategies for teaching online coursework.

Loutzenhiser oversees a team that manages the School of Education’s servers, web presence, help desk, data analysis and online education efforts.

Deborah Hutcheson, director and faculty member in the coordinated master in nutrition and dietetics program, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, won the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietitian Award for 2017. The award recognizes a Pennsylvania dietitian whose leadership and service is exemplary and whose contributions to the Pennsylvania Academy and the public have been longstanding and exceptional.

This award is the highest honor bestowed upon a member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Chemistry faculty member Daniel Lambrecht has been selected to receive a Research Corporation for Science Advancement 2017 Cottrell Scholar Award based on his proposal entitled “Bridging Quantum Chemistry and Chemical Intuition to Characterize, Understand and Design New Chemical Sensor Materials.”

In recognition of his academic and professional contributions to furthering international education in the field of nursing, nursing faculty member Richard Henker will be awarded the 2016-17 Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement next month.

Henker has devoted his career to the promotion of best practices for nurse anesthetists, both in the U.S. and overseas, providing academic and technical assistance to universities and governments around the world. He is experienced in the study of risk factors in pre- and post-operative situations as well as an expert in team performance.

Henker has established a series of academic exchanges and professional activities to promote nurse anesthesia in Southeast Asia and Latin America. He developed clinical rotation programs for Pitt students at Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, a country where he also developed nursing practice guidelines in collaboration with the country’s public health authorities. In Thailand, he lectured on teaching methods at Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University and contributed to faculty development at the Boromarajonani College of Nursing. In addition, he helped to forge academic exchanges with Harbin Medical University in China. In Japan, Henker delivered a series of invited lectures on simulation and advanced practice nursing at a dozen universities. In Belize, he represented Health Volunteers Overseas to develop a nurse anesthesia program.

Henker’s research focuses on risk factors for the development of opioid-induced side effects in postoperative patients, with specific interest in genotypes that affect postoperative pain responses, development of persistent postoperative pain, opioid induced respiratory depression, opioid induced sedation and postoperative side effects.  His research also includes the evaluation of simulation teaching methods including team performance, and temperature measurement during the perioperative period.

The Sheth International Awards are a result of a gift from alumnus Jagdish N. and Madhuri Sheth. The awards are administered by the University Center for International Studies.

Pharmacy’s Pamela Smithburger has been appointed liaison between the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the National Quality Forum. NQF serves as an adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Congress for recommendations on health care measurement issues.

Smithburger is a faculty member in the pharmacy and therapeutics department.

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The People of the Times column features recent news on faculty and staff, including awards and other honors, accomplishments and administrative appointments.

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