From OSU News:

Kelly Benoit-Bird, a pioneering young oceanographer from Oregon State University, has been selected as one of 23 recipients nationwide of prestigious 2010 MacArthur Fellowships.

Popularly called “Genius Awards,” the fellowships include a $500,000 stipend to further the recipient’s scholarship. They are presented annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Benoit-Bird, 34, studies the interrelationships of animals in different marine environments, using acoustics and other sophisticated technologies. Her innovative uses of sonar in tracking marine creatures from Humboldt squid to spinner dolphins have led to new discoveries about their feeding behavior, movements and even communication….Benoit-Bird is the second Oregon State University marine scientist to have received a MacArthur award. In 1993, Jane Lubchenco, a professor of zoology and now NOAA Administrator, also was honored.

Along with oceanography, Oregon State offers programs in the areas of zoology, biology with a marine biology emphasis, fisheries and wildlife science, and such research facilities as the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Marine Mammal Institute.

Congrats, Kelly!
-bv

Kevin Ahern, a senior instructor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University, has received the Mentor Award from the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon. In their press release:

This year’s Mentor Award honors Oregon State University’s Kevin Ahern, Ph.D. As a Senior Instructor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and member of the university’s Premedical Committee, Dr. Ahern has played a role in teaching and inspiring thousands of Oregon State students preparing for careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, and other health and science professions. Students and colleagues alike consistently laud Dr. Ahern’s ingenious and energetic approach to teaching highly challenging subjects and his engaged, proactive approach to academic advising. His unique commitment to Oregon’s medical education pipeline has helped Oregon State’s premedical graduates achieve a near-perfect record of medical school acceptance. Beyond the classroom, he serves as director of OSU’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Program, enhancing the research training and experiences of hundreds of students exploring careers in biomedical science. His passion for science and learning extends to the international stage, where he contributes lively writings to widely read publications such as Genetic Engineering News and BioTechniques.

Dawn Wright, an Oregon State University professor of geography and oceanography, has been named Oregon Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. On their website:

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country—those who excel in teaching and positively influence the lives and careers of students. Sponsored by CASE and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, it is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.

Wright (a.k.a. “Deepsea Dawn”) is one of forty faculty members to receive the award in individual states and the District of Columbia and has been a professor of Geography and Oceanography at OSU since 1995.

Carl Schreck, an Oregon State University scientist and researcher in Fisheries and Wildlife, will receive a national award in April at the White House. As one of the leading salmon researchers in the nation, Shreck is honored as recipient of a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. The award is given to a small number of senior leaders by the president each year. According to their website:

Each year, the President recognizes and celebrates a small group of career Senior Executives with the President’s Rank Award for exceptional long-term accomplishments. Beginning with awards granted in 2003, eligibility for this award is extended to other categories of high-performing senior career employees. Winners of this prestigious award are strong leaders, professionals, and scientists who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength, integrity, industry, and a relentless commitment to excellence in public service.

–mko