The College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences recently announced several faculty awards. College faculty awards were presented at a special College Awards Ceremony held May 1 in Sudro Hall. Pharmacy program faculty awards were presented during the Pharmacy Hooding Ceremony May 11 in Festival Concert Hall.
College awards are based on nominations of faculty by peers with the final selection by a faculty College Awards Committee using predetermined criteria. Pharmacy program faculty awards are selected by students enrolled in the pharmacy professional program.
College awards
Steven Qian, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, which recognizes a faculty member in the college who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in research including excellence and innovation in their scholarly work. Qian’s research is focused on the lipid peroxidation and its implications in cancer, as well as the potential of fatty acids and lipid-metabolizing enzymes to prevent liver damage related to chronic alcohol abuse.
Qian has been a leader in free radical chemistry and free radical biology. He has developed a novel technique combining high performance liquid chromatography, electron spin resonance and mass spectrometry to identify the detailed structures of free radicals formed from lipid peroxidation. Qian has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in major journals and brought more than $1.5 million in research funding to NDSU from the National Institutes of Health.
Donald Miller, professor and chair of pharmacy practice, received the Mary Berg Award for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes a faculty member who is an outstanding teacher as defined by the ability to inspire and engage students in learning, who has demonstrated knowledge of pedagogical principles and who has been creative and innovative in approaches to teaching. According to nomination letters, Miller demonstrates a passion for teaching that resonates throughout all of the classes he teaches. Classes are centered on active learning activities including discussion, group exercises in class, clicker-based questions and multiple examples from media sources and journals.
Miller also offers annual teaching workshops for new faculty and residents for the entire college.
Alicia Fitz, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Advising, which recognizes an individual in the college who has demonstrated exceptional advising skills and who has had a positive impact on students. According to nomination letters, Fitz has the students’ best interests at heart and combines a unique balance of mentoring, academic advising and career planning with each student advisee.
Pharmacy program faculty awards
Amy Werremeyer, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, received two awards, including the 2012 Teacher of the Year Award for the Pharmacy Program, which recognizes a faculty member who has been chosen by students in the professional program for their outstanding performance and commitment to teaching. She also received the 2012 Preceptor of the Year Award for the Pharmacy Program, which is an award selected by students in the fourth professional year of the program that represents outstanding performance and commitment in instruction of pharmacy students on clinical rotations by a full-time faculty member.
Chip Storandt, a home infusion pharmacist practicing at Sanford Health Broadway Pharmacy in Fargo, received the 2012 Adjunct Preceptor of the Year Award, which is selected by graduating seniors and represents outstanding performance and commitment in instruction of pharmacy students on clinical rotations by a practicing pharmacist who volunteers their time to provide clinical instruction of pharmacy students.
“We are pleased to recognize and honor the outstanding achievements of these faculty,” said Charles Peterson, professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences. “Thanks to their dedication and commitment to excellence, the quality of our academic and research programs is both regionally and nationally recognized.”
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.