By: Kris Yows

Six University of Iowa faculty members have received the 2014 Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.

Presented by the Iowa Board of Regents, the award honors faculty members for work representing a significant contribution to excellence in public education. Each honoree will receive $1,000.

This year’s recipients are:

Charles Brenner, Biochemistry, Carver College of Medicine

Charles Brenner 

Brenner, Roy J. Carver Chair and departmental executive officer of biochemistry, and professor of internal medicine, is one of the Carver College of Medicine’s most internationally visible faculty members in the areas of scholarship, teaching, and service.

A distinguished molecular scientist whose work has had a broad influence in proteolysis, molecular oncology, and metabolism, Brenner also is deeply committed to mentoring trainees and young faculty. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the high throughput screening facility and the creation of the Obesity Research and Education Initiative (OREI).

In addition to hiring new faculty, OREI has created a nexus of interdisciplinary research, helped launch new coursework and an undergraduate minor, and catalyzed extensive outreach across the university and state.

Brenner is a leader at Iowa and nationally in advocating curricular renewal, and—with the introduction of biochemistry to the 2015 Medical College Admissions Test—has been at the forefront of developing recommendations to improve undergraduate preparation for biomedical research and medical training.

Mary Wilson, Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine

Mary Wilson 

Wilson is a joint professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Carver College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine and the Department of Microbiology, with an additional secondary appointment in the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health.

Her research focuses on visceral leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease prevalent in many underdeveloped countries. The international, collaborative research program she has built serves as an inspiration for the next generation of basic and clinical scientists with interests in parasitology and international health, and contributes greatly to the strength of her division, departments, and colleges.

She has been a member of 55 doctoral degree committees and has mentored well over 100 students. Deeply committed to international study, she has sponsored dozens of students, residents, and fellows for international clinical or research rotations, and has hosted visiting students and scientists.

Her efforts have made an immeasurable contribution to the university’s international reputation. In 2010 she was appointed the UI Carver College of Medicine Professor of Global Health.

Contacts

Kris Yows, Office of the Provost, 319-335-3566