University Scholars - UIC Today - University of Illinois at Chicago

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Nov 8, 2017 - examines climate change. Student. Veteran of the Month. 4 - student voice. 9 - calendar. 10 - deaths. 12 -
today.uic.edu

November 8

2017

Volume 37 / Number 11 today.uic.edu For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago

University Scholars

Recognizing superior teaching, research / pgs. 5-8

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

Hospital conjures up Halloween fun

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Campus Conversation examines climate change

Student Veteran of the Month

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YouTube / uicmedia

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4 - student voice 9 - calendar 10 - deaths 12 - sports

Instagram / thisisuic & uicamiridis

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Conjuring up some Halloween fun By Jackie Carey — [email protected] “It’s not just about the kids in the hospital, it’s about the families, too,” said Elizabeth Gutierrez. Her 1-year-old son, Leonardo, who is fighting cancer, dressed as an elephant and joined about 20 pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit patients at a Halloween celebration hosted by Children’s Hospital University of Illinois Oct. 31. Gutierrez’s daughter, Valentina, also came to visit dressed as Dorothy. The annual celebration included a trick-or-treating costume parade, face painting,

pumpkin decorating, games, music and a pizza party. Staff dressed up as “Trolls” characters, Minions and “spice girls,” wearing red aprons displaying the names of cooking herbs like sage and thyme, and passed out treats and gift bags to patients as they walked around the hospital in costumes that ranged from superheroes to bumble bees. Volunteers made costumes for babies in the NICU. “Being in the hospital does not change the fact that kids need to play, laugh and celebrate,” said Dana Thornquist,

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Photos: Carley Mostar

child life specialist at the hospital. “The staff really goes all out for this, and one child told me today was the best Halloween he’s ever had,” said Beena Peters, associate chief nursing officer, noting that the hospital’s mission is to serve kids from low-income families who may not have resources to splurge on costumes and candy every year. “This party allowed kids to experience a fun Halloween, and help them forget that they are sick,” Thornquist said. “I think they all felt very special today.”

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Campus Conversation tackles complexity of climate change

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Hoda Fakhari — [email protected] “What is complexity?” Moira Zellner, research associate professor in the Institute for Environmental Science and Policy and associate professor of urban planning and policy, posed this question to the audience of the final installment of this semester’s Campus Conversation series Nov. 1. The series, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, is part of a yearlong initiative to engage the UIC community in multidisciplinary discussion regarding pressing national and global issues. Zellner, one of five panelists at the event, used the Chicagoan’s regular experience with traffic to address her question. A traffic jam results from local interactions of individual cars in relation to one another, which produces congested behavior on a larger scale. The climate system can also be understood in terms of the local interactions between humans and their environment that shape the global climate. Discussions about climate change are not new, but people’s attitudes and commitments to the cause are shifting as more research becomes available. The panel sought to re-contextualize and clarify the problem of climate change in relation to its interaction with complex human systems. “It’s not an issue about data,” said Zellner. “It’s an issue about the structural uncertainty of the system.” Max Berkelhammer, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, represented this uncertainty through a graph depicting the wide range of

“If you’re hoping technology is going to solve everything, it’s not,” says Sybil Derrible, associate professor of civil and materials engineering. ­(Photo: Carley Mostar)

earth temperature projections. The uncertainty is, in part, reflective of the historically volatile nature of the climate system itself, as well as the unpredictability of human nature. To combat this uncertainty, Berkelhammer, the discussion moderator, proposed three general methods to be considered in different areas of research: attribution, mitigation and adaptation. Adapting to a global phenomenon like climate change requires an awareness of its impact in various sectors of

human life. Serap Erdal, associate professor of environmental and occupation health sciences, outlined some of the public health ramifications of climate change, which included a decline in respiratory and cardiovascular health, and increased transmission of water-, food- and vectorborne diseases. Studies in behavioral finance help shed light on the economic responses to climate change, effectively reducing a segment of uncertainty about the human

responses to a changing climate. “In areas that are high risk as a consequence of climate change, you have a high demand for protection. In areas that are low risk, you have a lower demand for protection,” said Matt Wynter, assistant professor of finance. “As a consequence, you have this inability to coordinate between those who want the insurance and those who are willing to provide it.” This coordination problem is amplified when natural disasters expose the direct costs of capital and human life, and the indirect costs of future investment and recovery. In order to address these costs effectively, Wynter stressed, “You need coordination, you need governments, you need aid, you need a team.” Sybil Derrible, associate professor of civil and materials engineering, also emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary team willing to accept the risks of new approaches to the development of sustainable infrastructure. However, the development of infrastructure is not the only answer. “If you’re hoping that technology is going to solve everything, it’s not. If you think technology is going to solve a lot, it is,” Derrible said. “Whatever we decide to do, there’s going to be costs and benefits,” Zellner said. “And what needs to happen is a conversation where it’s not about getting more data about the problem; it’s really enabling a conversation about what those tradeoffs are and how we are going to deal with them.”

UIC hopes to reduce LGBTQ youth homelessness By Jeffron Boynés — [email protected] A new website, “3/40 Blueprint,” was recently launched by UIC as a primary site for identifying promising practices that serve LGBTQ youth who are experiencing homelessness and to publish new information on the struggles of this vulnerable population. Henrika McCoy, associate professor in the Jane Addams College of Social Work and the project’s principal investigator, said “3/40 Blueprint” was designed to close a gap in existing research and provide a one-stop, web-based digital guide for professionals working with LGBTQ runaway and homeless youth. “Our website provides a user-friendly place for anyone that is interested in finding succinct reports that compile existing research, as well as our own

original research,” McCoy said. The site provides downloadable research reports, along with executive summaries and infographics, allowing transitional living service providers and others interested in this population to get targeted information without sifting through endless reams of research on other topics not directly related to LGBTQ youth homelessness. The site offers entries on LGBTQ youth needs and challenges, a systematic review of research studies since 1990, reports on assessment tools, curricula and practices, as well as results from focus groups conducted in September 2014 and April 2017 as part of this project. “3/40 is unique,” McCoy said, “be-

cause it includes the voices of youth and complements them with the perspectives of direct service providers and administrators.” McCoy added that the website’s goal is to identify the needs of LGBTQ homeless and runaway youth and the strategies that respond to their needs in order to facilitate a smooth transition to adulthood. National studies estimate that there are between 1.6 million and 1.7 million youth ages 12 to 17 who experience homelessness each year. Among these youth, it is estimated that up to 40 percent identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning. They also are disproportionately youth of color. Numerous practices have begun to

appear that have shown promise in responding to the needs of LGBTQ homeless youth. However, information on these practices has not been systematically collected or analyzed. The website is in response to that need. The researchers developed a “blueprint” over the three years of the project to reduce the 40 percent of homeless youth who identify as LGBTQ (hence the 3/40 Blueprint’s name). “We see this as a chance to assist in efforts to decrease homelessness for a group that is often ignored, forgotten, and certainly underserved,” McCoy said. “The “3/40 Blueprint” project was made possible by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Farooq’s Coffee Adventures

La Colombe By Farooq Chaudhry — [email protected]

La Colombe is located in the West Loop at 955 S. Randolph St.

In the midst of the Second Virginia Convention on a brisk afternoon on March 23, 1775, a man named Patrick Henry interrupted the deliberations and hearings, bolding proclaiming, “Give me liberty, or give me La Colombe!” And yes, even though that’s not remotely close to what actually happened at that historic hearing, I stand by the comparison (minus the magnitude): La Colombe’s coffee is good enough for you to interrupt whatever it is you’re doing and sit down to enjoy a cup at their West Loop location, 955 S. Randolph St. For those of you who enjoy beginning your day with great coffee at home, I want to draw attention to La Colombe’s Nizza Blend, which you can pick up at any of their locations. It’s by far the best coffee I have made at home. Nizza is the espresso blend at all of their locations. It’s a medium roasted blend with deep flavor. Striking the perfect balance of nutty and sweet, this

blend is bold without being bitter, and packs a smooth and consistent flavor each sip. Rather than tasting different flavor notes throughout the drink, every sip is a perfect fusion of the various beans that go into it, sourced from Brazil, Colombia, Congo and Nicaragua. Another specialty of La Colombe is the Draft Latte, which is available in cafes, but also in cans in select retailers. Rather than your typical grocery store sugar-packed cold coffee drink, the Draft Latte is infused with food-grade nitrous oxide with gives the drink a distinctive café-style frothy, creamy texture. The drinks use lactose-free milk, locally sourced from farms in Michigan. The lattes also have up to 3.5 grams of sugar. And best yet, they are made with coldpressed Nizza espresso. I’m a simple man who knows good coffee when he tastes it. La Colombe is good coffee. Period. Follow along with the adventures on Instagram: @farooqscoffeestories

By Kelly Zebell — [email protected] Karol Stolarski learned important lessons after enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2010. “In the Army, I learned that the only thing worse than failing is never trying,” he said. “This gave me the confidence and strength to achieve all my goals and overcome all my obstacles.” Stolarski served from 2010 to 2014 as a Combat Medic with the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in North Carolina. His training began with Basic Combat Training in Fort Benning, Georgia. He later went to San Antonio, Texas, for medic training, then returned to Georgia for Airborne training. Stolarski

deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 to support Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2014, he returned to Afghanistan for his second deployment. Stolarski achieved the rank of Specialist (E-4) and was awarded two Afghanistan Campaign Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Medical Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, and Parachutist Badge. After serving four years, Stolarski moved home to Chicago to begin his undergraduate degree. After spending

“In the Army, I learned that the only thing worse than failing is never trying,” says Karol Stolarski. “This has given me confidence and strength to achieve all my goals.”

time at Truman and Wilbur Wright College, he transferred to UIC to study computer science.

“I appreciate individuality,” he said. “Not to nourish oneself, but in times, challenging humanity.”

Want to contribute a story? E-mail Christy Levy at [email protected]

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

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The University Scholars Program, now in its 33rd year, honors faculty members for superior research and teaching, along with great promise for future achievements. The award provides $15,000 a year for three years.

DANILO ERRICOLO

Electrical & Computer Engineering By Sam Hostettler — [email protected] Danilo Erricolo didn’t believe his grammar-school classmates when they kept telling him he would one day be a college professor. He does now. Erricolo, professor of electrical and computer engineering, felt he would one day work as an engineer in a corporate environment. As he was nearing completion of his Ph.D., his interests changed, and he became what his former classmates knew he would become so many years earlier. “When I thought about becoming an engineer in industry, I felt I had learned more things that were theoretical in nature and then I would forget about them,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘Why work so hard to learn if I’m just going to forget it?’ That was one of my motivations to remain in academia.” Erricolo came to UIC as a doctoral

student from his native Italy in 1995 and he has never left. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering computer science, joining the faculty in 2004. He became a full professor in 2012. In addition to teaching, he conducts research on electromagnetic modeling, ground penetrating radar, wireless communications, radio wave propagation, and magnetic resonance imaging. He enjoys teaching his students, and provides them with unique experiences beyond a traditional classroom setting. Erricolo annually attends the National Radio Science Meeting in Boulder, Colorado. Two years ago, he challenged his graduate students in his Electromagnetic Scattering course to write abstracts and submit them to the conference. Eight did so, and all of them were accepted. Seven of the students traveled to Boulder to present their work.

VENKAT VENKATAKRISHNAN

Computer Science

By Christy Levy — [email protected] Venkat Venkatakrishnan is a cyber crime-fighter. “Cyber attacks happen every day,” said Venkatakrishnan, professor of computer science. “When you visit a website, there is the potential that malicious software could be downloaded onto your computer that can then control it and use it for criminal activity or to steal your identity.” It’s Venkatakrishnan’s job to develop methods to protect enterprises, government sites and others from these attacks. He has received more than $13 million in federal research grants for his work. “Venkat is an outstanding researcher in the field of cybersecurity, and has led UIC to achieve preeminence in this area of national importance,” Peter Nelson, dean of the College of Engineering, wrote in his nominating letter. “His research work has tremendous real-world significance, and he is a thought leader in computer security.” Venkatakrishnan’s interest in cyber

crime developed from his passion for mathematics and computer science. “I’ve learned about a lot of things in computer science by looking at them through the lens of cyber security problems,” he said. “The breadth and beauty of computer science makes me feel fortunate to be a student of the discipline.” In addition to his research, Venkatakrishnan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in cyber security and undergraduate courses in compilers and programming languages. He keeps his students engaged in the coursework by explaining broader ideas, then illustrating them with specific problems in cyber security. “I talk about everything around the problem, including the methods that the attackers or cyber criminals might use and how we, as defenders, could prevent these attacks from happening,” he said. “Teaching is a very useful and necessary exercise for becoming a better researcher. If I cannot explain a problem in

For someone who never thought he would be an educator, Erricolo does it well. In 2013, he was selected for the UIC Teaching Recognition Program; twice he received the College of Engineering Faculty Undergraduate Advising Award and once the College of Engineering Teaching Award; he was the recipient of the UIC Areas of Excellence Program Award; the College of Engineering Faculty Research Award; and the College of Engineering Gold Faculty Research Award. Throughout his career, Erricolo has received more than $8 million in research funding. In 2016, he was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and serves as editor-in-chief of the journal IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

class, that means I have not understood it deeply enough.” In 2011, Venkatakrishnan created a Ph.D. program on electronic security and privacy that was funded by the National Science Foundation IGERT award. UIC is one of just three universities nationally to receive an IGERT award for cybersecurity. “In order to create and sustain a program like that, there are several challenges,” he said. “I enjoy finding new opportunities in a challenging setting. That’s what, I think, keeps me going.” He’s also created new UIC courses and led the development of cybersecurity concentrations at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. Through the 13 years he has worked at UIC, Venkatakrishnan has enjoyed collaborating with colleagues within and outside computer science.

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

“To engage in collaborative endeavors is something that I continue to enjoy and am proud of the results from such efforts,” he said.

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

tics, explores online social movements such as the Arab Spring uprisings and Occupy Wall Street, storytelling and news reporting practices via social media, and whether these tools lead to political influence, particularly for underrepresented groups. Social media are neither positive nor negative nor neutral, but the support they can lend to movements works in a variety of ways, according to Papacharissi. “We see that in ways in which a platform like Twitter has evolved, from supporting a movement like Black Lives Matter to supporting a movement like MAGA (Make America Great Again),” she said. “Those are two very different movements, with distinct digital footprints online.” Papacharissi’s prolific scholarly production over the years, which includes seven edited books and more than 60 authored or co-authored articles and chapters, has established her among the most-cited and influential scholars in the field. Dubbed “Queen of the Internet” by Glow magazine, she frequently presents at universities around the world and has been a guest speaker at Facebook, Microsoft and Apple.

She is presently working on five edited volumes, due to be published next year, and she also edits two leading scholarly journals, including Social Media and Society, which she founded in 2015. In 2014, Papacharissi received the High Impact Scholar award for alumni from the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Ph.D. in political communication and new media. The future of the communication field and her own research will involve artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality, she said. “There are a lot of fears people have about collaborating with nonhuman agents and those fears are misguided,” she said. “It’s up to us as educators to help people overcome those fears by designing technologies that are more humane.” The native of Greece has served as head of the communication department since her arrival at UIC in 2008. “Coming to UIC and this department is one of the best decisions I’ve made in

professor of educational psychology, and Marc Van Overbeke, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of educational policy studies, said Horn was well deserving of the honor. Horn is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in her discipline, they said. “Dr. Horn is one of a rare breed in academia who exceeds performance expectations across all three main categories of faculty work: research, teaching and service,” they wrote. In particular, they singled out her research for advancing knowledge on how social-cognitive development, social norms and social institutions influence the ways that adolescents think about relationships and harassment from peers. Her colleagues and students describe her as a “highly skilled teacher and mentor” who has earned top marks in teaching effectiveness. A 2011 recipient of the UIC Award for Excellence in Teaching, Horn continues to influence her students through her work. A former student said Horn’s course, “really had me thinking about aspects of

education that I hadn’t previously thought about.” Horn has championed the development of two new degree programs on the undergraduate and graduate levels that focus on human development and learning. As the department chair for educational psychology, she has helped double the size of the department and increased research and programming to respond to the needs of students, their employees and the public. In the last two years, Horn has published three books concentrating on issues of equity and justice for adolescents. Over her career, she has edited two special issues of prestigious journals, published more than 40 peerreviewed journal articles and book chapters, and authored multiple technical and policy reports for government and community-based organizations. In addition, she has been instrumental in procuring nearly $2 million in funding for her work and related projects, according to Lawless and

ZIZI PAPACHARISSI

Communication

By Brian Flood — [email protected] Zizi Papacharissi has studied the internet since the mid-1990s, when it was used by less than 5 percent of the total U.S. population and less than 1 percent globally. “Everyone at the time thought I was crazy because nobody was looking at the internet and most of my classmates were looking at television and news,” she recalled. “Gradually, the internet became this core medium that supports all these other platforms.” Her initial research examined what people did online, the users’ personality traits and how their traits influenced their approach to the new medium. Papacharissi’s work evolved to cover the political and social uses online media technologies, such as whether the internet makes people more or less social, and in what manner it changes how citizens become civically engaged and politically involved. Her first book, A Private Sphere: Democracy in a Digital Age, examined how online media redefine our understanding of public and private in late-modern democracies and set new parameters for civic engagement. Her acclaimed 2014 book, Affective Publics: Sentiment, Technology, and Poli-

STACEY HORN

Educational Psychology By Carlos Sadovi — [email protected] For the last two decades, Stacey Horn’s research has focused on how young people deal with issues of exclusion, bullying and harassment primarily related to sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. Horn, department chair of educational psychology and a professor in the College of Education, said her mission has been to help vulnerable groups of young people. Her peers are supporting this mission, and this year nominated her to receive a University Scholar award. “As someone who cares about the lives of young people — and how to ensure that the contexts they are in are free from harassment generally, but also specifically related to sexual orientation, gender and gender identity — having my research and my scholarship recognized in this way sends a message to me that the university values all people,” Horn said. “It is an extreme honor to get this award.” In their nominating letters, Kimberly Lawless, associate dean for research and

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

my life,” Papacharissi said. “My colleagues are so forward thinking and the work that they do is so cutting edge that I often think they come from the future.” “Because we have this focus on emerging technology, we can collaborate with engineering, business and applied health sciences,” she added. “It’s those collaborations that I enjoy extremely and allow us to transcend the boundaries of our own discipline.”

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

Overbeke. “I am continually impressed and inspired by her commitment to expand the breadth and depth of her research, teaching, and service,” said Alfred Tatum, dean of the UIC College of Education. “Moreover, she is a great human being.”

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

JAMES PATTON

Bioengineering

By Christy Levy — [email protected] James Patton uses robotic manipulations to study how the brain controls movement. “Robots are the ultimate tool for pushing on people in any way that you’d like,” said Patton, professor of bioengineering. “A lot of times, what it takes is giving people a kick or a punch to understand how the nervous system actually gets the job done in fixing mistakes.” Patton’s work aims to help shed light on how to treat movement disorders. “We’ve been able to use robots to make someone more skilled at moving in certain ways,” he said. His research can help patients with brain injuries or strokes, for example, better understand how to control their body movement while recovering. “A person who has had a brain injury is learning how to drive their new nervous system,” he said. “There are some things left that work, and other things that don’t work anymore. We can use some of our techniques to teach new movements and apply this to patients.

“People learn from their mistakes, so if you make their mistakes bigger artificially using a robot, you can get people to learn faster and better.” The patients he has worked with have re-learned how to move certain parts of their bodies after suffering injuries. “Sometimes you can help them, sometimes you can’t. Sometimes it’s only about 10 percent improvement, but still worthwhile,” he said. Patton’s passion for bioengineering was fueled by his desire to learn more about how robots — and humans — control their movement. “It’s really interesting – how do you make your arm move? How do I know that my hand is around my cup of coffee so that now I can squeeze it and bring it up to my mouth without spilling?” he said. Patton has spent the past decade conducting research and teaching at UIC. He also is director of the National Center for Rehabilitation Robotics and a research scientist at the Shirley Ryan

ANGELA TYNER

Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics By Christy Levy — [email protected] A work-study job during Angela Tyner’s undergraduate studies changed the trajectory of her career. “When I was younger, I never thought I would be a researcher,” she said. “I took a job and learned how a lab operated, and it just looked like an exciting career choice and lifestyle.” As an undergraduate at Indiana University, Tyner had the opportunity to attend an embryology course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where she was introduced to Nobel Prize-winning researchers such as Michael Rosbash, who discovered molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm, and Tim Hunt, who identified protein molecules that control the division of cells. “I was exposed to a lot of really exciting science as an undergrad,” she said. Now, Tyner runs her own lab in the College of Medicine that focuses on molecular mechanisms involved in regulating regeneration of epithelial tissues, and how misregulation can cause disease. “Many common cancers start in epithelial cells,” said Tyner, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics in the

College of Medicine. “The epithelial lining of your gut turns over quickly; every three to four days you generate a new lining. We are interested in what controls that.” Tyner’s studies focus on Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 (PTK6), a signaling protein that her group identified and later showed regulates maturation of epithelial cells lining the intestine. Her lab also discovered that PTK6 is activated in human breast and prostate cancer. “When it’s activated in breast and prostate cells, PTK6 promotes cancer progression,” she said. The Tyner lab recently demonstrated that PTEN, an important tumor suppressor protein, inhibits activation of PTK6 and its roles in promoting development of prostate tumors. Tyner lectures in medicinal biochemistry to UIC medical students, and codirects the Integrative Biology course for graduate students. She currently has three graduate students in her lab. At UIC, she has mentored 17 Ph.D. students and 14 postdoctoral researchers, as well as several MD fellows, medical students, undergrads and high school students. She’s also a program leader for the Cancer Biology program in the UI

AbilityLab. “I enjoy the interaction of teaching and research — it’s opened me up to a lot of people across campus, and it’s nice to have crosstown interactions, as well,” he said. He teaches graduate students in courses on topics such as control systems in bioengineering, neural modeling — using math and engineering to study the nervous system and physiology — as well as in problem-based learning classes. “With problembased learning, students have to learn everything they can about a problem and bring their engineering design and research tools to the table to solve the problem,” he said. “It’s fun to be part of that.” He keeps his students engaged by

Cancer Center. Tyner’s work is far-reaching. She has published more than 80 papers in top peer-reviewed journals and has almost 7,000 citations. “Dr. Tyner is an outstanding scientist of the highest caliber, and has achieved a high level of acclaim both nationally and internationally,” wrote Jack Kaplan, professor and head of biochemistry and molecular genetics, in his nominating letter. “Dr. Tyner’s contributions to epithelial cell signaling have led to national and international recognition.” Her work has been externally funded since she joined the faculty. “I trained with outstanding mentors and role models,” Tyner said. She joined UIC in 1991 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. “I enjoy my work, interacting with my

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Photo: Jenny Fontaine

focusing on challenging problems and describing the history of science. “I like to tell stories about famous dead people,” he said.

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

colleagues and students, and the rich cultural life available in Chicago, including Steppenwolf Theatre and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Muti,” she said.

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

NANCY FREITAG

Microbiology & Immunology By Sharon Parmet — [email protected] Nancy Freitag studies how human pathogenic bacteria infect cells, and how cells work to repel or prevent bacterial infection. She uses the Listeria bacterium, which is responsible for deadly foodborne outbreaks, and mouse models to study these interactions. “I look at very basic questions, such as what do bacteria need to replicate inside cells, to how infections can spread from mother to baby during fetal development,” said Freitag, professor of microbiology and immunology in the College of Medicine. Her findings using Listeria are often applicable to other bacterial pathogens. “We just didn’t know very much about how bacteria live once they gain entry into human cells, and what are the basic mechanisms used by cells to fight off intruders,” Freitag said. This lack of knowledge, and exciting new developments in genetic techniques, led her to gravitate towards the field, she said.

“I was a post-doctoral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania when my mentor, Dr. Daniel Portnoy, got me interested and excited about bacterial pathogenesis,” she said. More recently, Freitag has turned her attention to the relationship between use of anesthesia during surgery and microbial infection. Some studies have suggested that anesthesia may increase susceptibility to infections, including hospital-acquired infections. These infections account for billions of dollars in health care costs, Freitag explains, so developing strategies to prevent them is key. “If we can understand how anesthesia influences risk for infection, then we can take steps to limit that risk,” she said. Freitag has been selected as the American Society for Microbiology Distinguished Lecturer. In 2016, she was elected a fellow to the American Academy of Microbiology. She is senior editor of Infection and Immunity, and serves on the editorial boards of a number of other journals.

Photo: Jenny Fontaine

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

CALENDAR

MORE CAMPUS EVENTS AT today.uic.edu

NOV–DEC. 16

NOV. 8

TRADUTTORE, TRADITORE

SURVEY EXPERIMENTS

Gallery 400 exhibit curated by Karen Greenwalt and Katja Rivera that displays a range of works by international artists who expose and challenge global circuits of economic and cultural capital.

Free Survey Research Methods Webinar on methodologies for addressing studies on ways that experiments have been used in survey research to explore both methodological questions and substantive questions. Sponsored by the Survey Research Laboratory.

EXHIBIT

WEBINAR

Tues.–Fri.: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat.: Noon–6 p.m.

Noon srl.uic.edu/seminars/Fall17Webinars

gallery400.uic.edu

NOV. 8

LECTURE

NOV. 10–18

THEATRE PRODUCTION TARTUFFE UIC Theatre production of Molière’s work, directed by professor emeritus Luigi Salerni. Tartuffe is the ultimate brazen conman. While his hypocritical greed and duplicity is glaringly obvious to most of the Pernelle family, some buy exactly what this consummate salesman is selling. The timeless charmer has kept audiences laughing for 350 years with his antics.

REFORM OF COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENTS Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board president. Part of the “Future of Chicago” lecture series. Noon 140 Behavioral Sciences Building

NOV. 11

PERFORMANCE

Nov. 10–11, 16–18: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, 18: 2 p.m. Nov. 15: 10 a.m. UIC Theatre theatreandmusic.uic.edu

NOV. 12

NOV. 14

SPECIAL EVENT

SPECIAL EVENT

WALK FROM OBESITY 5K AND FUN RUN

FROM CLASSROOM TO BOARDROOM

Sponsored by UI Health’s Bariatric Surgery Department.

Blazing a path for women in transportation. Sponsored by the Women in Transportation Greater Chicago Chapter.

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Montrose Beach Corner of Montrose and Simonds Drive walkfromobesity.com

NOV. 15

3:30–5:30 p.m. Fort Dearborn Room B Student Center East

NOV. 15

EXAGGERATED MOTION

LECTURE

LECTURE

UIC Choirs perform the soaring vocal music of the Baroque period in their fall concert.

WHAT LURKS IN THE GREAT LAKES: PIPELINES, INVASIVE SPECIES AND OTHER UNDERWATER PERILS

MAYOR 1%: RAHM EMANUEL AND THE RISE OF CHICAGO’S 99%

7:30 p.m. Notre Dame Church 1334 W. Flournoy St. theatreandmusic.uic.edu

Lecture by Dan Egan, author of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes and reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 4–6 p.m. Institute for the Humanities Lower level, Stevenson Hall

Send information about campus events at today.uic.edu/submit-an-event

Kari Lydersen, journalist and author. Part of the “Future of Chicago” lecture series. Noon 140 Behavioral Sciences Building

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

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PEOPLE

John Davis

Psychiatrist wins prize for schizophrenia research

By Sharon Parmet — [email protected] John Davis, professor of psychiatry in the UIC College of Medicine, is the winner of the Lieber Prize in Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenia Research given by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. The prize was established in 1987 by Constance E. Lieber, foundation president emerita, and her husband, Stephen A. Lieber, to bring public recognition to the outstanding discoveries being made in schizophrenia research. The prize carries an award of $50,000, and the winner is honored at the annual International Awards Dinner in New York City in October. Davis is a true giant in the field of psychiatry, and his research papers are among some of the most-cited in the medical literature. “Dr. Davis was there at the creation of modern biological psychiatry,” said Dr. Anand Kumar, the Lizzie Gilman Professor and head of psychiatry in the UIC College of Medicine. “He is a national leader in psychopharmacology and clinical neuroscience.”

Davis and his colleagues introduced the concept that major mental illness may be caused by biochemical abnormalities, and his group was among the first to do studies on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of psychotropic drugs. He helped author the first science-based textbook on psychopharmacology, published in 1969. Davis also helped develop the statistical method known as meta-analysis as a way to pool scientific data. In 1974, his group published the second metaanalysis to pool data from the medical literature; it was the first in the field of psychiatry. The results indicated that patients with schizophrenia were less likely to have relapses if they took their antipsychotic medications for the long-term. This concept is now well-known as maintenance therapy. At 84 years old, Davis shows no signs of slowing down. His current research involves identifying possible links between epigenetic changes and the development of mental illnesses including schizophrenia; the impact of nutritional

John Davis, professor of psychiatry in the UIC College of Medicine.

supplements on schizophrenia; and the role of estrogen in the onset of schizophrenia in women. He is also extensively involved in studies comparing the effect of consumption of fish versus vegetable oils on heart attack and stroke.

Davis earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Princeton University and medical degree from Yale University. He interned at Massachusetts General Hospital. He plans to donate the prize money to the UIC department of psychiatry.

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UIC News | Wednesday, November 8, 2017

SPORTS

Women’s basketball preps for season after exhibition win By Tim Hurley — [email protected] The women’s basketball team is off to a great start for their regular season opener this week after winning its exhibition match Nov. 2. The Flames start the season Friday by host Bethel at noon at the Pavilion. During the exhibition game, UIC jumped out to a big early lead and never looked back, topping Governors State, 82-36, at the UIC Pavilion. Brittany Byrd led the team with 15 points and eight rebounds. Teodora Zagorac had 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting and Tylah Lampley added 12. UIC started the game on an 18-4 run, making 8 of 12 field goals. By the time Byrd made her second three-pointer with 5:09 to go, the Flames had a lead they never relinquished. Late in the first half, Lampley grabbed an offensive rebound and made the shot to push the score to 24-8. Then Jada Nneji made a steal and dropped a nice pass to Lampley for another easy bucket. Governors State scored the first four points of the second quarter. The Flames pressed on an inbound play and Nneji deflected the ball to Kiarra Thompson, whose layup stopped the modest run. Kara Wilson scored her first basket

FLAMES @ HOME

after she and Taylor Toney applied defensive pressure to force a turnover, then ran a two-person fast break to perfection, making the score 36-12. Midway through the third period, the Jaguars put together a 6-0 run. The Flames squashed it with effort on both ends. After a free throw, they forced a shot clock violation, then Zagorac dished to Gabryelle Johnson for an easy layup. Johnson followed with a steal, leading to a three pointer by Tia Tedford. The Flames’ freshmen put an imprint on the final stages of the third quarter. Abreanna Lake found Nneji, who made a drop step layup. Nneji then blocked a shot, and Lake contributed a rebound. Deja Anderson-Fitzell entered in the fourth quarter. She blocked a shot and was rewarded with a layup on the ensuing possession. The Flames ended the game on a 14-4 run. Zagorac needed just six minutes to reach double figures. She made all five of her shots and three of four free throws to finish with 13 points. Nneji had five of the team’s 18 steals, part of 30 Jaguar turnovers that led to 29 Flames points. Friday, November 10 Women’s basketball vs. Bethel Noon / UIC Pavilion Men’s basketball vs. N. Carolina Central 7 p.m. / UIC Pavilion Monday, November 13 Men’s basketball vs. Saint Joseph’s 7 p.m. / UIC Pavilion

Kienya Jones takes a shot. (Photo: Rudi Ayasse)

Soccer players earn league honors By Laura White — [email protected]

Senior Olivia Everin and sophomore Tamae Douglas have been named to the All-League Second Team and Ashlin West has earned a spot on the AllFreshman Team. The Flames have garnered postseason recognition in each of their four seasons of competition. This year’s honors bring UIC’s total to eight All-League and six All-Freshman selections for the program. Everin picks up her second career

accolade after being placed on the Second Team as a sophomore. In her final season with the Flames, she consistently has helped generate the offense while appearing in all but two games. She leads the team in assists (4) and shots (37), and ranks second in shots on goal (13), while her shot total matches the program record for most in a single season. Douglas is awarded with the first AllLeague selection of her career after

being named to the All-Freshman Team last season. Having started every game, she leads the offense in goals (4) and had two of her tallies come against conference foes, including the game-winner against Detroit Mercy (Oct. 7). Her 35 shots rank second and her 16 shots on goal are a team best. West was placed on the AllFreshman Team after appearing in all but three games this season. The mid-

fielder has tabbed one goal and one assist, scoring in league play against Detroit Mercy and adding her helper on the game-winner versus SIUE (Sept. 3). She has tallied 11 shots, including five on goal. After finishing the regular season with a 5-4-0 conference record, UIC moved on to the postseason for the first time in program history. The Flames fell to Wright State Oct. 30 in the Quarterfinals of the Horizon League Championship.

MORE SPORTS AT uicflames.com