Highlighting Some of CU's Outstanding Women Scholars

The 2003-04 year not only set a new record for sponsored research awards of nearly $260 million, but also brought an unusually large number of exceptional awards and recognition to our faculty, especially our women faculty. For this reason, we decided to feature in this annual report individuals, primarily women, leaders in their fields. Among the most notable achievements are the election to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences of Margaret Murnane of physics and JILA, and Margaret Tolbert of Chemistry/biochemistry and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES); and the highest award given by the National Science Foundation, the Waterman Award, to Kristi Anseth of chemical and biological engineering.

These notable achievements can be viewed in the context of another large award from the NSF ADVANCE program, which recognizes institutional efforts to increase the representation of women in academic science and engineering careers, and the advancement of women into positions of academic leadership. Fittingly, the principal investigator of that award, Patricia Rankin, a physicist, has recently been appointed as associate dean of the natural sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Also, as of the 2003-04 academic year, the director of the University Museum and two out of six directors of CU's interdisciplinary research institutes were women.

The award to Distinguished Professor Frank Barnes recognizes his founding of a visionary interdisciplinary graduate program in telecommunications. It is notable that the first graduate of this program was a women; so Frank has made his own meaningful contribution to the advancement of women.

August 2004 saw several milestones in CU's research administration. After 12 years as the chief research officer and dean of the Graduate School, I resigned my administrative position, and will work on special projects for the provost as a faculty associate. At the same time, Larry Nelson, director of the Office of Contracts and Grants, retired from the university. Larry worked in the Office of Contracts and Grants for 34 years, 23 of them as director. In 2003 he was recognized with the Stearns Award, the highest honor the University of Colorado Alumni Association bestows on a member of CU's faculty and staff, for his truly outstanding service to the university.

I am very pleased that the new vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate School is Susan K. Avery, former director of CIRES. Larry and I are confident we are leaving the research mission of CU in good hands!

Carol Lynch,
Former, Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School

A Note from the Dean

On behalf of the university community I would like to thank Carol Lynch and Larry Nelson for their dedication and tireless work in support of the graduate education and research mission at CU-Boulder. As one of my first actions as vice chancellor for research, I am pleased to announce that we have a new director for the Office of Contracts and Grants, Randall Draper. He and I will strive to continue the work that Carol and Larry have started.

The accomplishments highlighted in this annual report are ones in which we all can be justifiable proud. They represent, collectively, the great wealth of scholarly achievement of our faculty and students. It is upon this firm basis that we intend to build in fulfilling our mission of excellence in graduate education and research

Susan K. Avery
Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School