College News

CBS alumnus triples scholarship gift

CBS alumnus Kien Nguyen and his wife, Julie Warren, have created an endowed scholarship for undergraduate students majoring in genetics. The couple’s donation was increased more than threefold by matching funds from Johnson & Johnson (their employer), TCF Bank, and the University of Minnesota.

Nguyen and Warren pledged $2,000 a year for five years, for a $10,000 gift. Johnson & Johnson (J&J) matched it two to one, which added $20,000. And Nguyen’s first pledge payment was doubled through the TCF match, creating a scholarship endowment of $32,000. The annual endowment payout will be matched by the President’s Scholarship Match, making $3,200 available to CBS students each year.

Nguyen graduated from CBS in 1990 with a B.S. in genetics. He earned an M.S. in microbiology from Mankato State University, a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Colorado, and an MBA from Columbia University. Kien, who is global marketing director for BioSurgicals Asia Pacific, a J&J Company, has been with J&J since 2000. Julie studied speech communications at the U of M, 1989-90, and received her B.A. degree from the University of Texas. She has an MBA from St. Thomas. Julie is an information manager for J&J. The couple lives in Pennsylvania and has a son, Joshua, who is four years old.

Friends may contact Kien at ktnguyen3670@yahoo.com

Hennen’s priorities are raising funds for facilities at Cedar Creek and Itasca field stations and for scholarships and fellowships.

Meet Laurie Hennen

Laurie Hennen is the new director of development for the College of Biological Sciences. Hennen comes to CBS from Ewald Consulting, an association management firm that operated MNBIO, among other Twin Cities professional associations. At Ewald, she was executive director for three trade associations.

Previously, she held a variety of executive positions with Minnesota Technology, a nonprofit organization that supports economic development of the state’s technology industry, where she was employed for nine years. Some of her key accomplishments were developing and writing grant applications, securing funding, developing and implementing strategic legislative plans, and serving on the MNBIO board. Hennen holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She joined the CBS staff in January. Her priorities are raising funds for new facilities for Cedar Creek Natural History Area and Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories as well as for scholarships and fellowships.

Contact her at hennen@umn.edu if you have questions about making a gift to the College.

UEL RECOGNIZED FOR architecture AND community impact

University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL) was honored by University UNITED for architectural excellence and impact on future land use along University Avenue. University UNITED is a coalition of community organizations and business people who work to revitalize the University Avenue corridor through community-based planning and development.

The University UNITED Annual Awards are presented to projects that enhance the quality of life along University Avenue.

The University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL) was also featured in an article titled “Getting Started” in the November issue of Architecture Minnesota.The article showcases UEL’s innovative architecture and laboratory accommodations. Principal architect Thomas DeAngelo describes it as “a kind of laboratory hotel” for fledgling bioscience companies.

Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute

The Plant and Microbial Genetics Institute and the Center for Microbial and Plant Genomics have merged to form the Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute (MPGI). Codirectors are Mike Sadowsky and Neil Olszewski. Sadowsky is a professor of Soil, Water, and Climate and the Biotechnology Institute, and is a member of the Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program. Olszewski is a professor of Plant Biology and a faculty member in the Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program. Both are developing ideas to further the institute’s mission through enhancing scientific interchange, research, and training opportunities.

Joint career center serves CBS and the Institute of Technology

CBS and the Institute of Technology have merged career centers to better serve students, alumni, and employers. Sharing resources will allow staff to devote more time to developing relationships with employers that could benefit both colleges. The joint office, called the Career Center for Science and Engineering, is located in 50 Lind Hall on the East Bank campus. Services include career counseling and exploration, resume-writing workshops, job postings, and on-campus interviewing. For details, go to www.ccse.umn.edu. Mark Sorenson-Wagner is director. For more information, call 612-624-4090 or send an e-mail to ccse@umn.edu.

People

Mohamed Abdihalim (B.S. in biochemistry, 2005) is the first U of M student to receive the Jack Kent Cook Scholarship, a national award that provides generous support for high achieving students with financial need.

Abdihalim, who is now a student at the U of M Medical School, plans to practice medicine in the U.S. and his native Somalia, specializing in treating and conducting research on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Marc von Keitz has been promoted to associate director of the Biotechnology Institute (BTI). Von Keitz has served as program director for the Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC) and managed the BTI Incubator Laboratories. During his tenure, the BRC has been upgraded to a state-of-the-art facility and the incubator laboratories have evolved to become University Enterprise Laboratories.

Cathy Wong Kipper

Cathy Wong Kipper is the new coordinator of multicultural programs for CBS. She will provide leadership for developing a comprehensive approach to multicultural student services within CBS, coordinate programs that promote an appreciation for cultural diversity, and support the enrollment, retention, and academic success of underrepresented students. She is a CBS graduate.

Tony Starfield (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior) is retiring this year. Starfield received his Ph.D. from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in 1965 and then joined the CBS faculty. His research has focused on mathematical modeling for populations and ecosystems. He applied this to look at how decisions are made in conservation biology to develop new paradigms for modeling ecosystem dynamics. Subjects have ranged from the Hawaiian monk seal to Minnesota forests to the effects of global warming on Alaskan tundra.

Three CBS students win Goldwater Scholarships Kimberly VanderWaal, a CBS honors student majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, has been selected to receive a 2006 Goldwater Scholarship. VanderWaal, who works with EEB professor Craig Packer, plans to teach at the university level and study mammalian social behavior.

Two of the other U of M recipients have double majors in the Institute of Technology and CBS: Akash Kumar (Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry) and Eman S. Haidari (Chemistry and Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development). Both Kamar and Haidari plan careers in medical research and education.

The scholarships recognize outstanding U.S. sophomores and juniors in science, engineering, and math who plan to pursue graduate studies and research-oriented careers.