Two engineering faculty members named University Scholars

Two Engineering at Illinois faculty members--Naira Hovakimyan and Paul J. Kenis--are among six Urbana campus faculty members recently recognized as University Scholars. The University Scholars program recognizes excellence while helping to identify and retain the university’s most talented teachers, scholars and researchers.

Naira Hovakimyan

Hovakimyan, a professor of mechanical science and engineering and a researcher at the Coordinated Science Laboratory, has made important research contributions to the mathematics of control theory that are having an impact across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including mechanical, electrical and aerospace engineering. Her pioneering work in adaptive control has set the stage for solving many real world problems, including robotic flight control. Hovakimyan is a Schaller Faculty Scholar in the Department of Mechanical Science and an affiliate in aerospace engineering.

Kenis is a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and an expert in the field of micro fluidics. His research program is focused on development of novel microfluidic tools for applications in energy and health. Over the past 10 years, he has built a highly productive and internationally well-known research program at Illinois. Kenis is also a member of the 3D Micro- and Nanosystems faculty at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

The other University Scholars for this year include: Jeffrey R. Brown, finance; Benjamin J. McCall, chemistry; Cynthia Oliver, dance; and James M. Slauch, microbiology. Begun in 1985, the University Scholars provides $10,000 to each scholar for each of three years to use to enhance his or her academic career. The money may be used for travel, equipment, research assistants, books, or other purposes.



The recipients will be honored at a reception from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Lincoln Room at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign.