President’s Council George Kudolo Award for Research Excellence (L-R) Dr. George Kudolo and Dr. Terry LeGrand
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The School of Allied Health Sciences’ (SAHS) Faculty Appreciation Day celebrated research development and progress, and recognized four outstanding individuals for their contributions to the school. Each of them received a plaque and a $500 cash award.

George Kudolo, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of clinical laboratory sciences, received the President’s Council George Kudolo Award for Research Excellence, the newly-named award in honor of his contributions to research. The award, the highest honor given by the SAHS, was made possible several years ago by funding from the Health Science Center’s President’s Council.

“We surprised Dr. Kudolo with this award. He didn’t know we had changed the name of it to honor him,” said Shirlyn McKenzie, Ph.D., professor and chair of clinical laboratory sciences and chair of the SAHS Research Committee. “He is an inspiration to the people of the School of Allied Health Sciences and has shown that it is possible to excel in research while teaching and providing excellent service.”

Dr. Kudolo was the first to receive the President’s Council Award for Research Excellence in Allied Health in 1996, as well as the first faculty member in the school to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health. His research focuses on the herb Ginkgo biloba and he was the first to show that it contains active ingredients that stimulate pancreatic cells to produce insulin, especially in Type 2 diabetics with pancreatic exhaustion. With his research he has garnered significant recognition for himself and the SAHS.

Terry LeGrand, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the department of respiratory care, also received the President’s Council George Kudolo Award for Research Excellence. She has helped design and implement research projects focused on patient and disease management strategies, that can be employed across the country. Among many things, Dr. LeGrand has participated in educational research, and exploration of teaching and learning modalities.

Spectrum Award Winners (L-R) Dr. Pat Brewer, Sharon Barbieri and Cathy Ortega (Faculty Development Committee Chair)

The Spectrum Award recognizes an exceptional faculty member who has provided overall excellence in research, service and teaching. Pat Brewer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of physical therapy, and Sharon Barbieri, assistant professor in the department of dental hygiene, tied this year.

“Both of these individuals have demonstrated strong mentoring skills and leadership abilities,” said Cathy Ortega, assistant professor in the department of physical therapy and chair of the SAHS Faculty Development Committee. “Their professional demeanors and friendly personalities played a major part in receiving this distinguished award.”

Various presentations during the celebration included information about research funding and how to write reviewer-friendly research articles. Eleven faculty members and two students presented posters about diverse research topics.

“We enjoy having this meeting to celebrate each year to recognize outstanding faculty,” Dr. McKenzie said. “The School of Allied Health Sciences is a success because of exemplary performance by individuals like George, Terry, Pat and Sharon.”

Congratulations to all of these individuals.