Selected for exhibiting potential in a specific field, each faculty member will receive $1,500 to assist his or her program of creative activity, scholarship, or research. This year’s recipients will be formally honored at a reception on Wednesday, April 29, where they’ll deliver short presentations of their research.
Also announced Thursday was the recipient of the Alistair & Judith McCrone Graduate Fellowship Award. Claudia Voigt, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Natural Resources, has been selected for demonstrating potential to succeed in her chosen field, and will have $3,000 applied to her tuition for the 2015-16 academic year.
Following are brief biographies of the 2015 McCrone Promising Faculty Scholars and the Alistair & Judith McCrone Graduate Fellowship Award winner.
Andrea Achilli, Environmental Resources Engineering
With 10 separate projects in the area of water treatment currently underway, Achilli has quickly become known as a prolific and accomplished researcher during his short time at Humboldt State.
Achilli joined the HSU faculty in 2012 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno. Along with his extensive research, Achilli has taught several academic courses, including Design of Water Treatment and Reuse Systems, a new offering that focuses on his primary area of expertise.
“From a department perspective, a great aspect of his work is that he involves many undergraduates in research,” said Elizabeth Eschenbach, Department Chair and Professor on Environmental Resources Engineering. “Andrea’s research group is a buzzing hive of activity.”
Erin Kelly, Hydrology and Watershed Management
In her third year at Humboldt State, Erin Kelly has had a major impact on the Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources, with substantial contributions to four projects that examine the relationship between humans and forests. Having earned a Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Oregon State University, Kelly has added valuable expertise in social and economic aspects of forestry to the faculty.
Along with colleague Andrew Stubblefield, Kelly co-authored a successful proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that secured $1 million to support Hispanic undergraduate students in forestry, watershed, and range disciplines.
“Erin has built a very active research program, and is poised to contribute greatly to our understanding of the intersection of human institutions and forested landscapes,” Stubblefield said. “Her work is applied and meaningful, with immediate benefits for the forests and forest landowners of California.”
Young Sub Kwon, Kinesiology and Recreation Administration
Young Sub Kwon’s research on the physiological processes of body temperature during high-intensity exercise has attracted nationwide attention from media including NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times. The impact of Kwon’s findings has implications that can increase human performance and decrease fatigue.
In his second year at HSU, Kwon serves as director of the Human Performance Lab. His research projects include investigating applications of a novel cooling technology, and forging partnerships with the Arcata Fire Protection District and Humboldt Bay Fire that will contribute to future research efforts.
“His research is consistent with the HSU mission and vision of enhancing community service and supporting student learning and success,” said Rock Braithwaite, professor of Kinesiology & Recreation Administration.
Claudia Voigt, Alistair & Judith McCrone Graduate Fellow
Claudia Voigt’s goal of developing a better understanding of the natural environment, along with her interest in the preservation of old-growth redwood trees, brought her to the United States from her native Germany to pursue a master’s degree at Humboldt State.
A graduate of the Berlin University of the Arts, where she studied communication in social and economic contexts, Voigt has selected the impact of trails near and around old-growth trees in Redwood National Park as the focus of her thesis. She hopes her research results in a positive impact in Humboldt County.
“Claudia has defined a significant, but also practical, research question that will be of great utility to the parks and important to the preservation of redwood forests,” said Steven R. Martin, chair and professor of Environmental Science and Management. “Her independently developed study design, and her ambition to collect useful and meaningful data, are good examples of her dedication and potential.”