Recognized as one of the leading scholars in American education, Dr. Fetterman is author to 16 books and hundreds of articles and chapters on the subject. The recommendations from his book, Excellence and Equality, led the U.S. Department of Education to formulate a panel to select a national center for the gifted and talented. As an appointed member, Dr. Fetterman recommended the University of Connecticut to the panel, granting the University a $10 million federal award for the National Research Center for the Gifted and Talented, now directed by Dr. Joseph Renzulli. Dr. Fetterman’s fields of expertise include evaluation, medical and teacher education, dropout programs, gifted and talented education, higher education, and distance learning. His empowerment evaluation method (a self-help approach) makes great contribution to the theory and practice of education–and according to the American Evaluation Association, remains “one of the greatest evaluation innovations of the past two decades.”
Dr. Romanoff has witnessed significant gains and challenges in the field of pain management since beginning his career as an anesthesiologist in 1987. The increased use of controlled opioid medications for non-malignant chronic pain has proved controversial, providing much needed aid to many individuals while fostering an epidemic of overdoses and addiction in both patients and society. Dr. Romanoff is on the committee on Narcotic Use and Diversion of the North Carolina Medical Society in North Carolina (NC), one of four states with the highest incidence of abuse. In 2007, Dr. Romanoff helped create a centralized database of all controlled medicines in NC. In addition, he has participated in several state-wide committees focusing on developing protocols and policies for the reporting and monitoring of narcotic use. In 2013, he was selected to participate in Project Lazarus–an educational and mentoring program set up by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Romanoff’s continued lecturing, mentoring, and advising display his efforts to combat prescription drug abuse and ensure safe access to medication for those in need.
Director, Clinical Research and Professional Practice Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 / 5:00 pm / Student Union Theatre
Dr. Renee Manworren graduated from Loyola University in Chicago, received her MS from Rush University, and earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington. She was named the 2010 Ferne C. Newman Kyba Fellow and the Mayday Pain & Society Fellowship: Media and Policy Initiative in 2012. She is Board Certified in Pain Management Nursing, and is a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Dr. Manworren is an internationally known lecturer and expert in clinical management of pediatric acute pain. She is on the board of the American Pain Society, ChildKind International, and master faculty of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Her research focuses on the role of the family and innovative methods of managing post-surgical pain.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2015 Take Two for Your Thesis Video Competition! These videos are fantastic examples of the scholarly and creative work that UConn Honors students complete all across campus.
FIRST PRIZE: Elizabeth Rider (English), “Institutionalized Female Madness in American Literature from 1950-1999” Thesis supervisor: Regina Barreca
What’s one piece of advice you have for future Honors seniors? Make sure you set hard deadlines for yourself to complete your thesis throughout the semester; this will allow you time to really pay homage to the writing process and revise, revise, revise.
SECOND PRIZE: Roshni Patel (MCB), “Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR) +986 G>T Associates with Habitual Physical Activity Levels and Muscle Size and Strength Response to Resistance Training Among Healthy Adults” Thesis supervisor: Linda Pescatello
What’s one piece of advice you have for future Honors seniors? Don’t rush to commit to something you may not like, take the time to investigate different fields and try new experiences to discover what you are truly passionate about!
THIRD PRIZE: Julianne Norton (Individualized: International Relations), “The Red Heifer: A Graphic Novel on Holocaust Postmemory” Thesis supervisor: Francoise Dussart Video credit: Cristobal Ortega
What’s one piece of advice you have for future Honors seniors? Explore all the opportunities at UConn! If you haven’t yet applied for funding for your project, then you should definitely go learn more about the Office of Undergraduate Research.
University Professor, UConn; Chief Executive Officer, Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS); Director, Institute for Regenerative Engineering; Endowed Chair Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Health Center; Tenured Professor, School of Engineering
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 / 5:00 pm / Student Union Theatre
Dr. Cato Laurencin
Dr. Laurencin previously served as the UConn Health Center’s Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the UConn School of Medicine. Prior to that Dr. Laurencin was the Lillian T. Pratt Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Virginia, as well as the Orthopaedic Surgeon-in-Chief at the University of Virginia Health System. In addition, he was designated as a University Professor at the University of Virginia by the President and held professorships in biomedical engineering and chemical engineering.
Dr. Laurencin earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University and his medical degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Harvard Medical School. During medical school, he also earned his Ph.D. in biochemical engineering/biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
An expert in shoulder and knee surgery, Dr. Laurencin has been named to America’s Top Doctors and America’s Top Surgeons. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and is one of a few orthopaedic surgeons elected to the American Surgical Association. He is the winner of the Nicolas Andry Award from the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons.
Dr. Laurencin’s research involves tissue engineering, biomaterials science, nanotechnology and stem cell science, and a new field he terms ‘regenerative engineering’. He is an International Fellow in Biomaterials Science and Engineering, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society. His work was honored by Scientific American Magazine as one of the 50 greatest achievements in science in 2007. Dr. Laurencin was named the 2009 winner of the Pierre Galletti Award by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering at its centennial celebration. Dr. Laurencin is active in technology development. In 2012 his work in musculoskeletal tissue regeneration was featured in National Geographic Magazine’s “100 Discoveries that Changed Our World” edition. In addition, he received the Technology, Innovation and Development Award from the Society for Biomaterials in 2013 for key scientific and technical innovation and leadership in translational research.
Dr. Laurencin’s work in mentoring students is well known. He received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in ceremonies at the White House in 2010 and the Beckman Award for Mentoring in 2012. Most recently Dr. Laurencin was honored by the American Association for Advancement of Science, receiving the AAAS Mentor Award.
Dr. Laurencin has lectured throughout the world on clinical orthopaedic surgery and musculoskeletal research. He is an elected member of the Third World Academy of Sciences, and an elected member of the African Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Laurencin is active in science and health policy. He has been a member of the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Engineering (ADCOM), and has served both on the National Science Board of the FDA and the National Advisory Council for Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the NIH. Dr. Laurencin is currently a member of the National Academies Board of Life Sciences, and the National Academies Division Committee on Engineering and Physical Sciences (DEPSCOM). He currently holds appointments by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the Advisory Committee to the Director of the National Institutes of Health.
Professor and Vice-Chairman, Department of Surgery at the UConn Health Center
Beyond Technology: The Principles of Medicine
Dr. Joseph Civetta
Dr. Joseph M. Civetta received a 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Critical Care Medicine for his numerous scientific and clinical advances in critical care medicine. A leader in his field, Dr. Civetta has worked continuously to improve the quality of care delivered to critically ill patients. He has been an innovator in the areas of cardiovascular monitoring in critical care and ventilatory support, among others. His research focuses on prevention of multiple organ system dysfunction.
Dr. Civetta served as the Program Director of the Integrated General Surgery Residency at the UConn Health Center. He has authored or edited more than 350 publications and has received numerous awards and honors. A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Civetta is a dedicated teacher who has held posts at Harvard Medical School and the University of Miami School of Medicine. His professional and honorary memberships include: the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American College of Surgeons: Palliative Care Workgroup, and the American Surgical Association.
Dr. Wendy Everett was appointed as the first President of the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) in July 2002. NEHI was established to identify realistic strategies for improving health care quality while reducing health care costs. Dr. Everett directs a team that conducts independent research leading to evidence-based public and private health policy recommendations. With over thirty years of experience in the health care field, Dr. Everett brings a unique perspective to NEHI. She has held executive positions at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. In the 1980s, she directed a national demonstration program for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and subsequently was the Program Director for the National Program in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Dr. Everett has served as a consultant to many state and national philanthropic foundations. In the mid 1990s, she became a Director of the Institute for the Future, leading the Health and Health Care research team for six years and overseeing the creation of ten-year, national forecasts in health/health care. She is a Trustee of many health care and philanthropic boards and currently chairs the board of the Health Technology Center.
Carolyn Runowicz, M.D., is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in women’s health, specifically gynecologic cancer. Her research career has been highlighted by developing innovative clinical trials in gynecologic oncology, with more than 200 publications. She is currently the Cancer Center Director at the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, holds the Northeast Utilities Chair in Experimental Oncology, and is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT.
Dr. Runowicz has held many leadership positions in national organizations. She was the first female president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists in 2000. In November 2005, she was the national President of the American Cancer Society. She was recently appointed by President Bush to serve as a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board for a six year appointment and then, in August 2006, President Bush appointed her to serve as Chair on the National Cancer Advisory Board for a two year appointment. She has established the gynecologic follow-up protocols for women with breast cancer who are on selective estrogen receptor modulators, for treatment, adjuvant, and preventive settings. She has also testified before the Senate on mammographic screening.
As an educator, Dr. Runowicz has a long track record of teaching and mentoring medical students, residents, and fellows. Her career has demonstrated a focus and commitment to clinical practice, research, teaching, and administration. She is the author of several books for the public, including her most recent book, “The Answer to Cancer”.
Dean, Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School
Remembering the Past While Creating the Future
Dr. Joan Reede
Appointed as the first Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School (HMS), Joan Y. Reede is responsible for the development and management of a program that provides leadership, guidance, and support to promote the increased recruitment, retention, and advancement of under-represented minority faculty. In addition, she holds the appointments of Associate Professor of Medicine at HMS, Associate Professor of Society, Human Development, and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, and Assistant in Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Reede has created and developed more than 16 programs at HMS that aim to address pipeline and leadership issues for minorities and women who are interested in careers in medicine, academic and scientific research, and the healthcare professions. In addition, Dr. Reede founded the Biomedical Careers Program in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society and the New England Board of Higher Education.
Dr. Reede’s numerous awards include the Boston NAACP Health Award, the Community Service Award from the Epilepsy Association of Massachusetts, the American Association of University Administrators Exemplary Models of Administrative Leadership Award, and was named a Center for Disease Control and Prevention/University of California Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar. She was recognized by Modern Healthcare magazine as one of “the top 25 minority executives in healthcare” and by Ebony magazine as a “medical mover and shaker”.
On the national level, Dr. Reede was appointed to the Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Minority Health, and has served on the Board of Governors for the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Council of the National Institutes of Health, the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society, and as a Commissioner of The Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. Locally, former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift appointed Dr. Reede to the Board of Directors of the John Adams Innovation Institute of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
