Two internationally known professors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences were recently named University Scholars, which recognizes excellence in teaching and research. Feng Sheng Hu in plant biology and Nikolaos Sahinidis in chemical and bimolecular engineering will both receive $10,000 to aid in their ongoing work.
Hu is known worldwide for his research in global change biology and ecosystem science, specializing in the use of pollen analysis to study the evolution of the climate system and the function of ecosystems. In one of his publications in the journal Nature, Hu described the climate in the Midwest during the Holocene epoch using carbon dating, as well as measurements of the pollen in layers of lake sediment.
As a member of the plant biology department since 1998, Hu has introduced students to contemporary issues and concepts in ecology. He has also won a Packard Fellowship and a Center for Advanced Study Fellowship.
Sahinidis, who has taught in the chemical and bimolecular engineering program since 1991, has excelled in the fields of optimization and crystal structure determination. His work has transformed the practice of optimization in science and engineering. A 504-page book co-written by Sahinidis outlines much of his research.
Sahinidis has also won nine National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health awards, as well as five prestigious research prizes and fellowships, and he holds positions on seven editorial boards. In addition, he led development of the U. of I.'s master's degree program in bioinformatics, which was approved in 2004. It is the first U. of I. degree overseen by the Graduate College and to be offered by more than one department.
Both Hu and Sahinidis are young faculty whose contributions will aid U of I. for many years to come. The University Scholars program was established in 1985 and has since distributed about $9.9 million to 436 scholars. Funding for this program is provided by private gifts to the Advancement Fund of the University of Illinois.
