Awards

John Cummins
Governor Gray Davis last month appointed Assistant Chancellor/Chief of Staff John Cummins to the California Educational Facilities Authority.

The authority issues revenue bonds to help private institutions of higher learning in the expansion and construction of nonsectarian educational facilities. Members receive no salary and appointment does not require Senate confirmation.

Cummins was appointed along with Odile Disch-Bhadkamka, director of finance and business development for Stanford University.

Joseph Slusky
Architecture Senior Lecturer Joe Slusky is one of three finalists in a competition to design a sculpture for Frank Ogawa Plaza outside Oakland City Hall.

Models of the finalists' submissions were exhibited in city hall during the first week of February; public commentary was solicited.

The two other finalists are Bruce Beasley of Oakland and Kieko Nelson of Kensington. The winner, to be announced this month, will receive a $250,000 commission. A model of Slusky's proposal may be viewed online at (www.hypersphere.com/slusky).

Dan Stamper-Kurn
Assistant Professor of Physics Dan Stamper-Kurn has been named an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow.

"This is an extraordinarily competitive award, involving nominations for most of the very best scientists of your generation from around the country," wrote Ralph Gomory, foundation president, in his letter of congratulation.

The fellowship carries with it a grant of $40,000, to be used in a flexible and largely unrestricted manner to support research.

Three staffers snag BSA career development awards
Staff members Monica Lin, Scott McElhinney and Heather Brooke Taylor have each been awarded $500 scholarships from the Berkeley Staff Assembly to pursue career development. The program, now in its fourth year, provides funding to assist staff members in reaching their career goals.

Lin, a student affairs officer in electrical engineering and computer sciences, will use her scholarship to attend two professional meetings, the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education conference and a joint conference for the National Association of Minority Engineering Program Administrators and the Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network.

McElhinney, who works at the Education Abroad Program, plans to expand his evaluation and advising skills by attending an Association of International Educators conference and creating a Berkeley-initiated education abroad option in Italy for sophomores who need to fulfill breadth requirements.

Taylor, who works with the Animal Care and Use Committee, plans to use her award to take a business writing class through University Extension.

Assistance for the scholarship program is provided by Cal State 9 Credit Union and USE Credit Union. See http://bsa.berkeley.edu for information about Berkeley Staff Assembly's scholarship program.