Promotions to Full Professor on the Charles River and Medical Campuses
From Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
and Dr. Karen Antman, Dean of the School of Medicine and Medical Campus Provost
On behalf of President Brown, we are delighted to announce the promotion of 21 members of our Charles River Campus faculty and four members of our Medical Campus faculty to Full Professor at Boston University.
Through seminal scholarship, eye-opening exploration, and passion for the transmission of knowledge, these exceptional faculty members have emerged as leaders, both in their respective fields of research and in their classrooms. They are merging disciplines to discover solutions to some of our most pressing challenges, producing foundational writings that help to evolve our understanding of the world, and working to inspire a new generation of young scholars and professionals. In doing so, they help to demonstrate each day the true depth of Boston University’s talented academic community. We are proud to count them as members of our faculty and pleased that they have reached this significant milestone here at BU:
Martin Amlin, CFA, Music, specializes in classical music as both a composer and performing pianist and serves as Chair of the Department of Composition and Theory and Director of the BU Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Composition Program. The recipient of numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Society of Composers, he’s earned international distinction for his work with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as recorded works for several major labels.
Calin Belta, ENG, Mechanical Engineering, specializes in robotics and control, developing computational tools (such as hybrid and network systems) to help resolve critical questions in engineering and systems biology. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, an Associate Editor for the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization and a past recipient of both an Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award and NSF CAREER Award.
Thomas Berger, CAS, International Relations, specializes in German and Japanese politics, employing constructivist approaches to analyze issues of nationalism, identity and security. Currently at work on a comparative study of alliance politics, he is the author of War, Guilt and World Politics After World War II, Cultures of Antimilitarism: National Security in Germany and Japan (2012) and co-editor of Japan in International Politics: Beyond the Reactive State (2007). His articles and essays have appeared in numerous edited volumes and journals, including International Security, Review of International Studies, German Politics and World Affairs Quarterly.
Christopher Daly, COM, Journalism, specializes in the practice and history of newswriting, mentoring aspiring journalists on techniques, ethics and principles of reporting through lectures, writing, and a pioneering blog for learners of all backgrounds exploring the craft. Widely published, he has authored numerous scholarly essays, thousands of articles for newspapers and magazines, and several books including a prize-winning history of U.S. journalism, Covering America: A Narrative History of a Nation’s Journalism (2012).
Edward Damiano, ENG, Biomedical Engineering, specializes in endocrinology and biomechanics, and has earned worldwide attention for groundbreaking work in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes, including the development of a bionic endocrine pancreas. This past year’s University Lecturer and the author of dozens of seminal journal articles and seminars, he has raised more than $14 million to support his research from a variety of sources, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Kamil Ekinci, ENG, Mechanical Engineering, specializes in nanoscience and fluid dynamics, developing nanoscale mechanical and electronic devices, including ultra-high speed sensors, to measure the physical properties and aid in the understanding of nanomechanical systems. He is a past NSF CAREER Award winner, a National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology Visiting Fellow and the author of numerous widely cited journal articles exploring hydrodymanics and nanoelectromechanical systems.
Sean Elliott, CAS, Chemistry, specializes in electron transfer chemistry, using electrochemistry and spectroscopy to explore how this transfer occurs in metal-requiring proteins. Considered a pioneer in his field with dozens of widely cited journal articles, papers and international talks, he is a previous NSF CAREER Award winner, a two-time Awardee of the Research Corporation for Science Collaborative Innovation, and a recipient of BU’s Gitner Award and the College of Arts & Science’s Templeton Award for innovation and excellence in teaching.
Joshua Fineberg, CFA, Music, specializes in electronic spectral music, combining acoustical research with psychological aspects of music perception to create aural-landscapes, or soundscapes. Recognized as a leading scholar and composer in electronic music and the recipient of numerous international prizes and fellowships, he is the founding director of the BU Center for New Music. He has authored a book on contemporary music, and his work has been commissioned, performed and recorded by the leading ensembles and soloists of new music in Europe and America.
Gregory Grillone, MED, Otolaryngology, specializes in head and neck surgery, earning international recognition for his work on head and neck cancer screening and early detection in smokers and former smokers. A principal and co-principal investigator on two NIH-funded studies, he serves as program director for the otolaryngology residency program and President of the American Bronchoesophagological Association. Since 2005, his peers have voted him one of the Best Doctors in America as well as one of America’s Best Doctors. Since 2006, he has been named one of Boston’s Top Docs by Boston Magazine.
Kalapana Gupta, MED, Medicine, specializes in infectious diseases, focusing her investigation and scholarship in the area of urinary tract infections (UTI) and hospital-associated infections. Her impactful data studies have directly influenced and informed patient care, while her scholarly work has culminated in her role as Chair of the International Clinical Practice Guideline for Treatment of UTI in Women. She additionally serves as Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases at VA Boston Healthcare System, overseeing its HIV practice, as well as its clinical infectious diseases, antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention programs.
Martin Herbordt, ENG, Electrical & Computer Engineering, specializes in computer architectures and high performance computing, focusing on the acceleration of algorithms for applications in bioinformatics and computational biology, among other fields. The creator of a commercially successful software package and author of eight book chapters and dozens of widely cited articles and presentations, he’s received significant support for his work through NIH, NSF and industry-based grants. His industry contributions have been recognized with the IBM Faculty Award.
Catherine Klapperich, ENG, Biomedical Engineering, specializes in the integration of systems science and engineering, working to design diagnostic, cancer screening and treatment monitoring tools for underserved populations. A Kern Innovation Faculty Fellow, she is director of the NIH-funded Center for Future Technologies in Cancer Care and of the Laboratory for Diagnostics and Global Healthcare Technologies. Last year, she was elected a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Elise Morgan, ENG, Mechanical Engineering, specializes in orthopaedic biomechanics and mechanobiology, investigating how mechanical signals contribute to the development, adaptation, degeneration and regeneration of bone and cartilage. She has authored 15 book chapters and dozens of widely cited journal articles and presentations and received numerous research and teaching awards, including a Young Investigator Award from the International Osteoporosis Foundation and last year’s Faculty Service Award from the College of Engineering.
Roberto Paiella, ENG, Electrical & Computer Engineering, specializes in photonics and materials science, focusing his research on the development of semiconductor structures and efficient optoelectronic devices – such as lasers, green light LEDs and infrared detectors – that generate stronger light emission. A recipient of significant grant funding from the NSF, the Air Force Office of the Scientific Research and the Department of Energy, he is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and serves on the editorial board for Scientific Reports.
Robert Pollack, CAS, Mathematics & Statistics, specializes in number theory and has earned international recognition as one of the foremost experts on the Iwasawa theory of elliptic curves and modular forms. A recipient of continuous NSF funding to support his research, he has written papers for the world’s top mathematical journals, including Annals of Mathematics, lnventiones Mathematicae, and Duke Mathematical Journal. He is also a past winner of BU’s Gitner Award for Innovation in Teaching with Technology.
Karen Quillen, MED, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, specializes in transfusion medicine, focusing her research and clinical work on blood and tissue safety and availability. She serves as Medical Director of the Blood Bank at Boston Medical Center (BMC), and also as director of the stem cell storage facility, critical for delivering care to BMC’s patient population. Her research and practice have led to an extensive publication record, as well as service on numerous national and international advisory panels, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability.
Michael Reynolds, CFA, Music, specializes in cello performance, ensemble management and musical entrepreneurship, serving as cellist since 1979 for the renowned Muir String Quartet and as founding director for several chamber music organizations and festivals, including his own foundation to bring classical music to children. He has performed nearly 2,000 concerts around the world and won numerous recognitions for his work, including a Grammy, a Gramophone Award, the Naumburg Award and a PBS broadcast at the White House for President and Mrs. Reagan.
Leonid Reyzin, CAS, Computer Science, specializes in cryptography, focusing his research on the minimal assumptions needed for provably secure communication, from user authentication to network security. Recognized as an international leader in his field, he has contributed to the development of cryptography standards, worked as an industry consultant, and is a past recipient of both an NSF CAREER Award and the College of Arts & Sciences’ Neu Family Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Edward Riedl, SMG, Accounting, specializes in fair value accounting and international accounting, focusing on the effects each set of standards has on overall accuracy in financial reporting. He has written numerous widely cited articles and papers in premier accounting journals, serves on the editorial board for The Accounting Review and as Associate Editor for the Journal of International Accounting Research, and was invited last year to co-chair the American Accounting Association’s annual conference, the world’s largest gathering of accounting researchers.
Christopher Schneider, CAS, Biology, specializes in evolutionary biology, investigating the processes for generating biodiversity in the tropics. The recipient of several NSF grants, he has earned distinction for important breakthroughs in the genetic, environmental and ecological factors behind organismal evolution, including his discovery of extraordinary radiation in Sri Lankan frogs. He has authored three book chapters and dozens of field-advancing articles in scientific journals and serves as Director of the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology.
Daniel Segré, CAS/ENG, Biology, Bioinformatics and Biomedical Engineering, specializes in microbial systems biology, using theoretical and computational modeling – alongside experimental tests – to better understand cellular metabolism in microbes and produce advances in biomedicine. A past DuPont’s Horizons in Biotechnology distinguished speaker, he has secured nearly $8 million in funding from the NIH, Department of Energy and Department of Defense to support his research and written dozens of influential articles in leading publications and industry journals.
Casey Tyler Taft, MED, Psychiatry, specializes in the investigation of violence in domestic relationships, with emphasis on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as both a risk factor for perpetration and as a consequence of victimization. A staff member at the VA National Center for PTSD, he is principal investigator on active grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Defense, the latter two of which are dual-site clinical trials totaling $3.5 million in funding.
Marshall Van Alstyne, SMG, Information Systems, specializes in network business models, focusing his research on information economics, communications markets, intellectual property and the effects of technology and information on society and productivity. As co-developer of the concept of “two sided networks,” he has made major contributions to the theory of network effects, is a past NSF CAREER Award winner, and holds two patents in encryption technology. His articles and commentary have appeared in premier international publications, including Science, Nature, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Irene Zadarenko, CAS, Romance Studies, specializes in Spanish poetry and prose, centering her largely historical and philological research on the medieval epic poetry of Spain, especially the Poema de mio Cid. This poem has inspired her to pen two highly regarded books, in addition to numerous book chapters and literary journal articles on the Spanish Middle Ages. Respected internationally for her writing and research, she has been a regularly invited lecturer and panelist both domestically and at conferences in Spain, Argentina, Italy, Mexico and Canada.
Muhammad Zaman, ENG, Biomedical Engineering, specializes in the interface of cell biology, mechanics, systems biology and medicine, using computational and experimental tools to understand and ultimately prevent cancer metastasis. He is equally devoted to the delivery of modern medical technology to the developing world. The recipient of numerous NIH grants and a recent Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professorship, he has authored two books, seven book chapters and dozens of widely cited articles on the properties of cell clusters and improved global health.
Please join us in congratulating these wonderfully talented colleagues on their recent promotions and in wishing them the best of luck in their new positions. It is thanks in large part to their hard work and to yours that Boston University upholds its tradition of excellence and is on track to remain a research and teaching leader for many years to come.
Promotions to Full Professor on the Charles River and Medical Campuses – 2.27.15