2014 Rowe Scholar: Jennifer Akosa

July 14, 2014

Jennifer Akosa is from Newington, CT but has close ties to Nigeria, where her parents lived up until two years before she was born. A pre-pharmacy major and graduate of Newington High School, Jennifer enjoys playing the outside hitter and defensive specialist positions in volleyball. She has taken part in the HCOP Mini-Medical/Dental High School Program, which provided her with the opportunity to listen to lectures on topics such as pharmacology, cardiology, and oncology, and she has worked at UConn Health as a research apprentice, studying how proteins such as E-cadherin and Actin manipulate cell direction and adhesion. She has also volunteered at the Newington Veterans’ Hospital in urgent care and cardiology.

2013-14 Faculty Member of the Year Award: Annamaria Csizmadia

June 5, 2014

Dr. Annamaria Csizmadia’s educational journey has spanned thousands of miles and multiple disciplines. Born and raised in Hungary, she completed her secondary education at a boarding school that allowed her to delve into foreign languages. She studied Russian, German, English, and Latin in high school. Her growing proficiency in English and German ignited her intellectual curiosity about cultural diversity and her desire to pursue higher education outside her native country. Through a number of formal experiences and fortuitous encounters, she was afforded invaluable opportunities to live, work, and study in Germany and the United States.

She earned the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in English and German language and literature at the University of Trier in Germany. After studying in Germany for four years, she moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in German literature at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Although Dr. Csizmadia learned to appreciate the depth and breadth of German literature, by the end of her master’s studies, her academic interest changed from literary inquiries to analyses of cultural variation in human development. Thus, she shifted her academic training from humanities to social sciences and enrolled in the doctoral program in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) at the University of Missouri. Inspired by personal experiences, close friendships, and cross-cultural studies, she began to research cultural diversity and ethnic-racial minority families, with particular focus on Black American youth, immigrant families, and multiracial children. She completed her doctoral degree in Human Development and Family Studies along with graduate certificates in Black Studies and International Development in 2008. Her dissertation research examined the role of racial identification in young Black-White biracial children’s social development from kindergarten through fifth grade.

In August 2008, Dr. Csizmadia joined the Human Development and Family Studies department at the University of Connecticut. She regularly teaches courses on individual and family development, diversity issues, adolescent development, and research methods at the Stamford regional campus, and occasionally a graduate course on early and middle childhood at Storrs. Through the years, she has mentored dozens of undergraduate students who completed research practica, internships, independent studies, as well as Honors thesis research. Several of her undergraduate students have won undergraduate research awards such as the SHARE Award, the SURF Award, and Travel Awards to attend national conferences.

Her research on racial identity, ethnic-racial socialization, and psychosocial development in multiracial and immigrant children has been disseminated at conferences nationally and internationally, and in well-recognized peer-reviewed journals such as Family, Relations, Social Development, Parenting: Sciences and Practice, Advances in Life Course Research, Sociological Compass, Journal of Marriage and Family, Journal of Black Psychology, and Maternal and Child Health Journal.

“It has been personally and professionally gratifying and inspiring for me to engage many of my undergraduate students at the Stamford campus in my research. It thrills me to see my students—many of whom remind me of myself (young, ambitious, first-generation college students, and of immigrant background)—jump at the opportunity to stretch themselves academically through involvement in research.”

2013-14 Faculty Member of the Year Award: Patrick Dragon

Patrick Dragon introduces himself to every class with the following: “Y’all can call me Pat. If you insist on an honorary, either Professor Pat or Doctor Dragon will do, so long as it alliterates!” Pat is proud to have been educated entirely through public school systems. A native of Hadley, Mass., Pat graduated from Hopkins Academy in 2001. Five years later, he completed his two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, with majors in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.

Pat was admitted to the Ph.D. program in mathematics at the University of California-Davis and started there in the fall of 2006. While a graduate student, Pat attended several courses in mathematical pedagogy and Socratic teaching methods, eventually leading workshops for students who sought extra help in math courses. Pat was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, as well as the William Karl Schwarze Award, for excellence in teaching and service to undergraduates. Pat finished his Ph.D. in the spring of 2011, with a research focus in applications of combinatorics to quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.

Since finishing his Ph.D., Pat has been teaching at UConn in Storrs. In six short semesters, he has established a reputation as a challenging but energetic instructor. One student wrote, “I took Pat’s linear algebra class. He isn’t easy, but he is the best teacher I have had at UConn, by far. He is a very smart guy with a passion for math, and more importantly, a passion for teaching. If you’re looking for an interesting class, take Pat Dragon. If you’re looking for an easy class, get over yourself and take Pat Dragon anyway.”

2014 Distinguished Alumni Award: Brian Preleski

Brian Preleski currently serves as the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain. He was born in New Britain, Conn., and raised in Bristol, Conn., where he attended public school and his father worked as a Bristol police officer.
Mr. Preleski earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut in 1987. As an undergraduate, he was an Honors Scholar, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He subsequently graduated with High Honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1991, where he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Book Award for Excellence in Torts.

Mr. Preleski became a member of the Connecticut Bar in 1991 and began practicing as a litigation associate with a large law firm in Hartford. He was initially appointed a Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney by the Criminal Justice Commission in 1993 for G.A. No. 17 (Bristol). When the New Britain Judicial District was created in 1998, Brian transferred to New Britain and began prosecuting major felony cases. In 2011, he was appointed State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain.

As the New Britain State’s Attorney, Mr. Preleski is the chief law enforcement officer for the Judicial District of New Britain, which includes the cities of New Britain, Bristol, and eight surrounding communities. The State’s Attorney is responsible for the supervision of the prosecutors’ offices at the Part A Judicial District Superior Court in New Britain, the G.A. No. 15 (New Britain), G.A. No. 17 (Bristol) courts, and the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters and Housing Sessions at New Britain.

As a prosecutor for more than twenty years, Mr. Preleski has been involved in several notable cases. He successfully prosecuted Connecticut’s first cold case murder, tried the case establishing the constitutionality of sobriety checkpoints under Connecticut law, and has tried more than fifty major felony cases to verdict. In 2013, Mr. Preleski was selected by the National District Attorneys Association to serve as an official observer to the war crimes trial of Abd al Rahim al Nashiri in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He has been published widely, both in professional publications and as a contributor to the Hartford Courant’s Opinion pages.
In addition to serving as a prosecutor, Mr. Preleski has been a member of the faculty of the University of St. Joseph since 2005, where he annually teaches a graduate seminar on legal issues in Homeland security.

Mr. Preleski met his wife, Kim, when they both lived on the University of Connecticut campus in Webster House. Kim is a 1988 UConn graduate and works as a physical therapist at the UConn Health Center in Farmington. They have two children, Chris and Sarah.

2014 Distinguished Alumni Award: Howard M. Sandler

Howard M. Sandler is Ronald H. Bloom Family Chair in Cancer Therapeutics and Professor and Chairman of Radiation Oncology at the Samuel Oschin Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He grew up in Willimantic, Conn., started attending UConn basketball games in the mid-1960s, attended Windham High School, and eventually received his undergraduate Honors degree (1978), master’s degree in physics (1991), and medical degree (1985) from the University of Connecticut.

After a one year medical internship at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn., Dr. Sandler completed specialty Radiation Oncology training in 1989 at the University of Pennsylvania. He was then recruited to the University of Michigan’s Department of Radiation Oncology, within the University of Michigan Medical School, where he rose through the academic ranks and ultimately served as Newman Family Professor of Radiation Oncology. He was also a member of the University of Michigan’s National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2008, after nearly twenty years at Ann Arbor, Dr. Sandler was recruited by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to the position of Chairman for the Department of Radiation Oncology. His mission was to transform the department into a leading academic radiation oncology organization.

Dr. Sandler’s research interests include prostate and other genitourinary tumors, as well as a broad range of subjects related to radiation oncology. He has received a number of grants from the National Institutes of Health and other major agencies to conduct research in these areas, and is a leader in developing technology that allows radiation beams to target prostate cancer tumors with greater accuracy and fewer side effects. As Chairman of the NCI-funded Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Genitourinary Cancer Committee since 1997, he has led or shaped a number of practice-changing national clinical trials. He has also written more than 230 peer-reviewed publications, primarily on prostate cancer and radiation therapy.

Dr. Sandler and his wife, Lili, live in Beverly Hills, Calif., and have two grown children and one young grandchild.

POLS 2998-011: Political Issues: Congressional Elections

May 9, 2014

Instructor: Paul S. Herrnson

The outcome of the 2014 congressional elections will not only determine who controls Congress; it also will have an impact on healthcare policy, taxes, immigration reform, international relations, and who sits on the federal courts. This seminar focuses on congressional elections, drawing on examples from the upcoming election cycle.

Congressional elections will be examined from several perspectives, including those of candidates, party officials, interest group leaders, journalists, and scholars. The class will cover the backgrounds of congressional candidates; the decision to run for office; campaign finance, strategy, and communications; and the activities of political parties, interest groups, and the mass media. We also will examine the factors that separate winners from losers, the impact of elections on policymaking, and election reform.

Students who enroll in the course will receive insider perspectives from internationally-recognized political consultants from firms that have been involved in presidential, congressional, and statewide campaigns. These and briefings from other on- and off-campus experts will provide networking opportunities. Students who excel in the class may be offered an opportunity to work on campus at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.

Requirements: Each student will become an expert on one congressional election and write a few short reports and a longer paper that draws from the reports to provide an overview of their election. Other assignments include a 2-page paper predicting the net change in the number of congressional seats held nationally by each party. Class participation is required.

POLS 2998-009: Political Issues: The Politics of Judicial Selection

May 7, 2014

Instructor: Virginia Hettinger

Judges in the United States are selected through a variety of mechanisms. (Some are elected. Some are appointed.)
Judges in the United States serve for different periods of time. (Some enjoy life tenure. Some have fixed terms.)
Does any of this matter? Do judges behave differently if they are elected to fixed terms? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Does the public care if judges campaign like other politicians?

This class explores how political scientists are trying to answer these questions, and you will have a part in trying to discover some of those answers! You will read the most current research in this area of political science. You will examine new evidence and new data.

This is a great opportunity to find out what goes into creating a research project. How do political scientists form research questions? What are different ways of answering those questions? How can I begin thinking about questions for my own research?

2014 Holster Scholars

April 11, 2014

Marissa Piccolo, from Trumbull, CT, is a political science and economics major with a minor in history. She is also a SHARE Awardee with Dr. Prakash Kashwan (Political Science), researching the role of NGOs in international environmental governance and policy. In addition, she is a staff writer for the Daily Campus, an Ex-officio Senator representing the Honors Council in USG, and President of the UConn College Democrats.

Project: “Redefining the Role of Public High Schools and Community Mental Health: An Exploration of Mental Health Care Access in the PBIS Framework”
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jennifer Freeman (Department of Educational Psychology)

Brian Liang, from Bethany, CT, is a pre-med molecular and cell biology major who has been a regular volunteer at Yale New Haven Hospital. In high school, he participated in numerous research projects. Among many accolades for his work, he won first place for his poster presentation at the CT Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, held at UConn in 2013. In addition, before college he was consistently a top-16 ranked swimmer in the state of Connecticut.

Project: “Analysis of the anti-adhesion mechanism in ovarian cancer cells”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Xiuling Lu (Department of Pharmaceutical Science)

Sarah Mosure, from Cromwell, CT, is a pre-med biological sciences major. In addition to her work in the Sun Lab, which she began in September 2013, she is a member of the UConn’s Division I Varsity Women’s Rowing Team and an active member of Arm 2 Arm, an organization which provides medical care to Haiti.

Project: “The Effect of Adipose Secretions on Fertility and Ovulation”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jianjun Sun (Department of Physiology and Neurobiology)

Patrick Adams, from Wethersfield, CT, is an economics major (with an intended double major in mathematics). He is also the recipient of a SHARE Award with Dr. Talia Bar (Economics), examining patent application systems. In addition, Pat is an accomplished jazz musician.

Project: “Iterated Two-Sided Matching”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Victoria Knoblauch (Department of Economics)

John Ovian, from Madison, CT, is a chemistry major and research assistant in the Leadbeater Lab, interested in new synthetic (“green”) chemistry. A singer and vocal instructor in high school, he is also Director of Extreme Measures, a co-ed a cappella group at UConn.

Project: “Oxoammonium Salts as a Tool to Access New Chemicals from Biorenewable Feedstocks”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Leadbeater (Department of Chemistry)

Joseph DeSisto, from Orono, ME, has already been identified as one of the leading myriapod experts in New England, having studied “creepy- crawly things” throughout his youth and having worked as field assistant for researchers at the University of Maine. He is currently developing an identification guide to centipedes of New England.

Project: “The Centipedes of Great Smokey Mountains National Park”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jane O’Donnell, Scientific Collection Manager (Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology)

Isabel Nip, from West Hartford, CT, is a pre-med biological sciences major who began conducting research at UConn in the summer of 2012 through the UConn Mentor Connection for Talented Youth program. She is also an accomplished pianist and a volunteer at UConn’s John Dempsey Hospital and for the Hartford Rescue Mission.

Project: “Exploring the Role of the Cytoskeleton in Neurodegenerative Diseases”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Campellone (Department of Molecular and Cell Biology)

Adam Kuegler, from Watertown, CT, is a political science major with an interest in law and politics, having served on state and national campaigns. A runner and 2013 Valedictorian of his high school, he was selected as the Republican-American Top Male Scholar Athlete of 2012.

Project: “The Heart of the Democratic Struggle: The Voter ID Debate”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Hayes (Department of Political Science)

Andrew Harnedy, from Guilford, CT, is majoring in classics and ancient Mediterranean studies. In addition to his passion for classics and history, he is a performer and author of The Second Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, a historical novel.

Project: “Whose Victory? A Debate for the Ages”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniel Caner (Department of History)

Get to Know UConn!

April 10, 2014

As you go through the college decision process, you’ll want to know as much as you can about your potential schools. Once you’ve been admitted into UConn and the Honors Program, there are several ways to find out what it’s like to be a Husky!

To really experience the day-to-day life of a UConn student, prospective students can sign up for a Husky-for-A-Day visit. At their visit, prospective students will shadow a current UConn student. They will attend a class or two, visit a dining hall, and get an inside look at the residence halls. Throughout the day, their UConn student host will be available to answer any questions about academics, campus life, and everything UConn.

This year’s remaining Honors Husky-For-A-Day visits will occur on the following days:

Monday, April 14th
Tuesday, April 22nd

Visit admissions.uconn.edu and click on the “visit” tab for more information and to register!

When you attend an Honors Husky-for-a-Day visit you will have the opportunity to attend our Honors Meet and Greets, which are run by HIPS (Honors Initiative for Prospective Students) student coordinators. At the Meet and Greets, students and parents will be able to mingle with current Honors students as well as Honors faculty and staff over light refreshments. It is an extremely valuable experience to get acquainted with the many faces of the Honors Program at UConn!

Another opportunity to get to know UConn is the Spring Open House, which will occur on April 12^th this year. On this day, students and their families can get tours of the University and of the Buckley/Shippee Complex , the first-year Honors Learning Community. There will be many opportunities to speak with representatives from various organizations and resources on campus. In addition, there are presentations from the different schools and colleges, Residential Life, Study Abroad, Financial Aid, and more! Again, visit admissions.uconn.edu for more information and to register for Open House!

We look forward to having you visit campus to learn more about UConn. If you questions about these opportunities or the University, please email uconnhips@gmail.com.

Sarah Levine (’16)
Communication and Journalism
HIPS Coordinator

ANTH 1000-81: Other People’s Worlds (ONLINE SUMMER CLASS)

April 4, 2014

Instructor: Jocelyn Linnekin
Course dates: 07/07/2014 – 08/15/2014

This course is an introduction to the discipline of Cultural Anthropology, which studies the diverse life-ways, social arrangements, and cultural beliefs found in human groups around the world. By comparing different societies and cultures with our own, students will acquire conceptual tools for understanding global issues and current events. The course emphasizes the connections between social institutions, cultural ideas and customs, and historical outcomes. Students will learn how cultural anthropologists apply their methods and insights to the solution of contemporary human problems.

Students in the online Honors section will have the opportunity to design and carry out a short-term field research project on a social, cultural, or environmental problem. Working closely with Professor Linnekin, who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in methodology and research design, Honors students will learn about anthropological methods by actually using them in their own local settings. Student-investigators will receive ongoing feedback on their research from Professor Linnekin and other students through online and offline discussions.

(CA2, CA4-Int)