Kudos January 2023
Celebrating Tufts Faculty and Staff
by: Sara Norberg
Kudos is a monthly submissions-based roundup celebrating university faculty and staff -- awards, honors, thought leadership, new arrivals, and more. Share your own great news or recognize a colleague at go.tufts.edu/kudos.
Many new faculty and staff joined the Tufts community in December 2022:
AS&E Shared: Antonio Acevedo, Program Coordinator, Global Education
AS&E Shared: Ruth Ashworth, Medical Technologist, Health Services
AS&E Shared: Gabrielle Womack, Asst Librarian Res & Instruct, Tisch Library
AS&E Shared: Nicholas Homenda, Library Manager, Tisch Library
Advancement: Danielle Kehoe, Sr Assoc Dir Corp & Found Rel, UA-Corporate & Foundation Rel
Arts and Sciences: Roya Abbasi-Asl, Postdoctoral Scholar, EP Child Study & Human Dev
Cummings: Robert Dwyer, Clinical Asst Professor, Amb Med & Theriogenology
Cummings: Stacy Johnson, Administrative Assistant, Comparative Pathobiology
Cummings: Gabriella Suazo, Lab Technician, Comparative Pathobiology
Cummings: Alexa Gomes, Animal Care Attendant, Foster Hosp - Cummings-Vet
Cummings: Erin Mooney, Client Services Assistant, Foster Hosp - Cummings-Vet
Cummings: Débora Silva, Sr Research Technician, Infec Disease&Global Hlth-Vet
Dental: Katherine Tejada, Billing Coordinator, Clinic Billing Operations
Dental: Luke Amnott, Billing Coordinator, Clinic Billing Operations
Dental: Cindy Ly, Dental Assistant III, Clinical Affairs - Dental
Dental: Elie Simmons, Patient Registration Coord, Clinical Affairs - Dental
Dental: Adam Garrison, Practice Administrator, Clinical Affairs - Dental
Dental: Songmei Zhang, Assistant Professor, Comprehensive Care
Dental: Amirah Mahmoud Louissaint, Project Administrator, Comprehensive Care
Dental: Reshma Menon, Assistant Professor, Diagnostic Sciences-Oral Path
Dental: Chelsea Crutchfield, Administrative Coordinator, Prosthodontics
Dental: Danny Toribio, Research Tech, Research Administration Dental
Dental: Tiffany Smith, Staff Assistant, Research Administration Staff
Dining: Al Soto, Executive Chef, Dining Services
Engineering: Jennifer Rogers, Postdoctoral Scholar, Computer Science
Fletcher: Jesele Lessard, Exec Education Marketing Mgr, Academic Support-Fletcher
Friedman: Shijun Gao, Postdoctoral Scholar, Sean Cash Research
Medical: Katie Kidwell, Library Reference Assistant, Health Sciences Library
Medical: Shea Roe, Research Tech, Immunology
Medical: Soee You, Research Tech, Microbiology-Basic Sci/Medical
Medical: Jonathan Scott, Research Asst, Neuroscience-BasicSci/Medical
Medical: Henry Cassidy, Communications Specialist, Public Hlth and Community Med
Operations: James Laughlin, Grounds Keeper, Facilities Services - Medford
Operations: Steven Pendenza, Campus Security Officer I, Public Safety - Boston
Operations: Aaron Calixte, Campus Security Officer I, Public Safety - Medford
Operations: Jake Fogarty, Public Safety Dispatcher II, Public Safety - Medford
Provost: Michael Ward, Assistant Coach Baseball, Athletics
Provost: Darlena Truong, Lab Animal Caretaker, CMS
Provost: Emily Greenslit, Office Asst II, Office of the Vice Provost
Provost: Jamie Canney, Executive Asst to the Provost, Provost's Office
Provost: Cigdem Talgar, Vice Provost for Education, Provost's Office
Tisch: Awes Hassan, Program Coordinator, Tisch College
TTS: Padma Srimatkandada, Director Operations Technology, TTS
Sara Deniz Akant, professor of the practice of poetry in the Department of English, had her new poetry book Hyperphantasia included in “The Best Poetry of 2022” in the New York Times. The reviewer said the book was “one of the most thrilling books I’ve read in a while.”
The Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts awarded three undergraduate students the Paul and Elizabeth Montle Prize for Entrepreneurial Achievement in recognition of their outstanding entrepreneurial passion, knowledge, and skills. The prize, which includes monetary awards, is given to three students who demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial skills each year. Theo Henry, E23, received The Senior Award, which recognizes a graduating student who has shown strong personal growth in their entrepreneurial mindset and skillset since their freshman year; Artem Dinh, E23, received the Most Progress in a New Venture Award, which recognizes a commitment to progress in an entrepreneurial venture; and Paloma Velasco, A23, received the Best Demonstration of Grit Award, which recognizes overall entrepreneurial grit.
Carl Heilman, chair and professor of neurosurgery, and Adel Malek, professor of neurosurgery, co-founders of CereVasc, Inc., were honored with the 2022 Innovation Award by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology for their work to bring a minimally-invasive endovascular treatment to people with communicating hydrocephalus.
Chris Miller, assistant professor of international history at The Fletcher School, saw his book Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology win the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award and be named one of the New Yorker’s “Best Books of 2022.” Read more about Chip War on Tufts Now.
Elizabeth Rozanski, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, was selected as one of dvm360’s 2022 Veterinary Heroes. This award celebrates the achievements of outstanding veterinary professionals who have worked to advance the field and made a difference in animal care. Rozanski was selected as this year’s honoree in the Emergency Medicine category.
Tufts University has received five “Best of District I” awards from Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the international organization for communications professionals in education. Tufts Magazine, led by Heather Stephenson, senior deputy editorial director, won the award in the magazine publishing improvement category; Tufts School of Engineering won the award in the fundraising annual report publications category for their FY21 Online Donor Report; the Tufts Now article “Campus Heroes Keep Tufts Running Through the Pandemic,” written by Helene Ragovin, senior content creator/editor, and photographed by Alonso Nichols, AG22, chief of photography, won the award in the COVID-related writing category; the video “Tiny Tufts: A Miniature Version of the Medford/Somerville Campus,” filmed and edited by Anna Miller, senior multimedia producer, won the award in the promotional short videos category; and the Tufts Now article “Through the Eyes of April Saul,” written by Helene Ragovin, senior content creator/editor, won the award in the news/feature writing (1,000+ words) category. View the full list of the “Best of District I” award winners at the CASE website.
Pam Yelick, AG89, professor of orthodontics and director of the division of craniofacial and molecular genetics at the School of Dental Medicine as well as director of the genetics program at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, has been elected as the vice president of the International Association for Dental Research.
Julian Agyeman, professor of urban and environmental policy and planning and Fletcher Professor of Rhetoric and Debate, delivered the Ron Lister Memorial Lecture in the geography department of the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, and the keynote lecture to the New Zealand Geographic Society at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, in November 2022.
Dipali Anumol, F19, international relations Ph.D. student, Dyan Mazurana, research professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and at The Fletcher School, and Kimberly Theidon, associate professor at The Fletcher School, edited the book Challenging Conceptions: Children Born of Wartime Rape and Sexual Exploitation, published by Oxford University Press on January 3, 2023.
Ruby Belle Booth, A21, elections coordinator at the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tisch College, was quoted in the CBC article “Exit polls suggest Gen Z may have helped stop Republican red wave in U.S. midterms” and the NPR article “Turnout among young voters was the second highest for a midterm in past 30 years.”
Sarah Booth, director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts and lead scientist of the HNRCA’s Vitamin K Team, and Kyla Shea, NG08, a scientist on the Vitamin K Team and an associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and their colleagues published their research “Brain vitamin D forms, cognitive decline, and neuropathology in community-dwelling older adults” in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. This is the first study examining levels of vitamin D in brain tissue, specifically in adults who suffered from varying rates of cognitive decline. Booth, Shea, and their research team found that members of the group with higher levels of vitamin D in their brains had better cognitive function. Read more about the research on Tufts Now.
The Massachusetts ballot question reports created by the Center for State Policy Analysis (cSPA) at Tisch College appeared on WBUR (ballot question 2, dental insurance), in CommonWealth Magazine (ballot question 4, drivers licenses), and on CNBC (ballot question 1, “millionaires' tax”).
The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tisch College analysis on the midterm elections was cited by Teen Vogue in “Youth Voter Turnout in the 2022 Midterms Shows Strong Support for Democrats, Abortion Rights.” CIRCLE data is also cited by Buzzfeed in “Gen Z Showed That Young Voters Are a Force To Be Reckoned With” and in the New York Times in “Young Voters Helped Democrats. But Experts Differ on Just How Much.”
Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global business at The Fletcher School, commented on the quality of content on Twitter during the 2022 midterm elections for the New York Times in “Elon Musk’s Twitter Did Not Perform at Its Best on Election Day.”
Michelle DiBlasi, assistant professor of psychiatry and chief of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, provided advice on how to cope with recent traumatic events in a November 2022 WCVB segment. DiBlasi also contributed to another WCVB segment in December 2022, lending expertise on approaches to manage holiday stress.
Shira Doron, GBS04, associate professor of medicine and physician and epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, discussed how to rebuild trust in vaccines through more effective, transparent communication in a CommonWealth Magazine opinion piece titled “Time to come clean about COVID-19.” Doron also contributed to a December 2022 WCVB segment to discuss the complications to watch out for during flu season and predicts how the rest of the flu season could go.
Mengxi Du, N17, MG17, a Ph.D. candidate in nutrition epidemiology and data science at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Fang Fang Zhang, interim chair of the Division of Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science at the Friedman School, published the study “Whole-grain food intake among US adults, based on different definitions of whole-grain foods, NHANES 2003–2018” in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November. Du was the lead author on the study, with Zhang as the senior author, and Dariush Mozaffarian, special advisor to the provost and dean for policy at the Friedman School, Parke Wilde, professor at the Friedman School, and John Wong, professor of medicine at Tufts School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Clinical Decision Making in the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the Tufts School of Medicine, also authored the study. Read more about the study on the Tufts Office of the Vice Provost for Research website.
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, wrote an opinion piece in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reflecting on the Green Line Extension opening and calling for new “bus rapid transit” in New England’s second largest city.
Fahd Humayun, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, was awarded a grant from the Stanton Foundation to support his research on political cleavages and the risk of war in nuclear-armed nations.
Abby Kiesa, associate director of the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tisch College, spoke to Arizona Public Media on the importance of voter registration and how to ensure that all young people know how to access and complete the process. Kiesa is also quoted in the Boston Globe on the effect of the youth vote in the midterm elections.
Valencia Joyner Koomson, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, spoke about research showing that pulse oximeter readings are more likely to be inaccurate for patients with darker skin tones in a December 4 Matter of Fact segment.
Rachel Kyte, F02, dean of The Fletcher School, discusses the recipients of the 2022 Earthshot Prize in The World segment “Prince and princess of Wales announce Earthshot winners in Boston.” The Earthshot Prize funds projects focused on climate change solutions and restoring nature. Kyte was a member of Boston’s Earthshot Prize host committee.
Pavel Luzin, visiting scholar at The Fletcher School, examines failures within Russia’s military draft roll-out to bolster its forces in Ukraine, saying that “the army was not ready for mobilization. It never prepared for it,” in the AP News piece “Russia’s chaotic draft leaves some out in cold, without gear.”
Andrew McClellan, professor of the Department of History of Art and Architecture, appears as a guest expert on the value of art and collectibles in an episode of The League podcast describing the theft of Tom Brady’s Super Bowl LI jersey. The episode was narrated by NFL star Richard Sherman.
Hayley Muendlein, GBS20, research assistant professor of immunology, and Alexander (Sasha) Poltorak, professor of immunology, published a study in Science Immunology in which they identified the cells and molecules that potentially trigger death from sepsis. Rebecca Batorsky, data scientist at the Data Intensive Study Center; James Cameron, immunology Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Wilson Connolly, research assistant of immunology in the Poltorak lab; David Jetton, immunology Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Xudong Li, assistant professor of immunology; Zoie Magri, immunology Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Amanda Martinot, assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; Irina Smirnova, senior research associate in the Department of Immunology; and Edouard Vannier, assistant professor in the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Tufts Medical Center, also co-authored the study. Muendlein and Poltorak subsequently published an article describing the findings of their research in The Conversation titled “Sepsis is one of the most expensive medical conditions in the world – new research clarifies how it can lead to cell death.”
Alberto Medina, senior communications specialist at the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tisch College, is quoted in an NBC News piece on the impact of young Latino voters.
Meghan O’Hearn, a Ph.D. candidate at the Freidman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, was the lead author for the study “Validation of Food Compass with a healthy diet, cardiometabolic health, and mortality among U.S. adults, 1999–2018,” published in November in Nature Communications. Jeffrey Blumberg, professor emeritus at the Friedman School; Christina Economos, NG96, dean of the Friedman School; Suzannah Gerber, Friedman School Ph.D. student; Brianna Lauren, N22; Dariush Mozaffarian, special advisor to the provost and dean for policy at the Friedman School; and John Wong, professor of medicine at Tufts School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Clinical Decision Making in the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the Tufts School of Medicine, also authored the study. Read more on Tufts Now.
Karen Panetta, professor and dean of graduate education at Tufts School of Engineering, has developed a drone and AI-based tool that could help protect endangered elephants by tracking the elephants without the need to tag them and by detecting potential threats such as poachers. Read more about Panetta’s efforts in All About Circuits.
Michael Siegel, professor of public health and community medicine, published collaborative research funded by 97Percent titled “Finding the Common Ground in Gun Safety.” The research was split into two parts: Part I [PDF] found that 66% of gun owners surveyed were very concerned about the high level of gun violence in this country and more than 70% of them want to help reduce gun injuries and death; Part II [PDF] outlines a proposed gun policy platform that flows directly from the shared principles the initial research found between gun owners and non-gun owners. Read more about the findings of the study on Tufts Now.
Nancy Thomas, director of the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), comments on the power of college students as a voting block, noting that “they are shaping policy” for KUOW, Seattle’s NPR news station, and on factors to consider when assessing a college’s student voting rate for Bridge Michigan.
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