Seal of Approval: UH in Exclusive Company With High ‘ACS’

When it comes to undergraduate chemistry degrees, certification by the American Chemical Society (ACS) is like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval, and the University of Houston’s success in churning out ACS-certified graduates has put its chemistry department in exclusive company.

The most recent available data show UH 30th among 632 universities in the number of certified chemistry degrees awarded during 2005-06, just slightly behind prestigious schools like Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois. Numbers for 2006-07 have not yet been published, with data for 2007-08 being collected now and expected to reflect a big jump in the rankings for UH.

“Nearly 40 students graduated with ACS-certification this year, so UH’s ranking likely will rise even further,” said Simon Bott, the chemistry department’s director of undergraduate affairs and advising.

Chemistry students can pursue two types of undergraduate degrees at UH: the bachelor of science that follows the strict ACS-approved curriculum, or the less-rigorous bachelor of arts. Like most schools, UH encourages its chemistry students to pursue the ACS-certified degree, Bott said. The certification makes students more competitive for graduate school and industry jobs.

“Having that credential is important when students start looking for jobs in the chemical industry or admission to graduate school or professional school,” said David Hoffman, chair of the chemistry department. “When you go out into the real world, ACS certification means something. It is a signal to potential employers and graduate schools that a student has completed an especially rigorous chemistry curriculum.”

Research Nets $2.5 Million in Grants For UH Professors

The University of Houston is focusing on becoming a top-tier research university, and the UH faculty are responding. Recently, 21 UH professors were awarded more than $2.5 million in research grants through the Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program (ARP), ranking second only to The University of Texas at Austin.

Projects by these UH professors include developing catalysts to use with alternative fuels, making pharmaceuticals to treat high blood pressure in diabetic patients, creating highly believable and expressive animated talking faces, and producing antibiotics to test their effectiveness in killing certain forms of cancer.

UH was one of 25 institutions that received money from the competitive, peer-reviewed grant program that funds scientific and engineering research projects of faculty members at Texas higher education institutions.

The 21 professors awarded included faculty from the Cullen College of Engineering, the College of Optometry, the College of Pharmacy, and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

“These awards underscore the role the University of Houston researchers play in addressing some of the grand challenges facing our nation and world,” said Donald L. Birx, vice chancellor for research for the UH System and vice president for research for UH. “UH is the energy capital’s university and an increasingly important player in the biomedical sciences.”

Of the more than 1,900 proposals submitted for 2007, only 147 were awarded money. UH submitted 49 proposals and was awarded money for 21, which is significantly more than the eight awarded in 2006 totaling $666,000. The next closest schools to UH’s funding level for 2007 were Texas A&M University at $1.6 million and UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas with $1.5 million. The two-year grants were announced in April 2008 at a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting.

Choreography Professor at UH Moved
by Recent Dance Award

When Karen Stokes premiered her energetic ode to Houston, Hometown, dance critics and audiences cheered. Two years later, the applause continues.

Recently, Stokes, director of the University of Houston’s Center for Choreography and head of UH’s dance program, was honored for this unique dance piece that explores the city’s past and present. At Houston’s 2008 Big Range Dance Festival, she was named a Buffy Award recipient for Best Choreographer in the Evening-Length Concert category.

Since 2003, the Buffy Awards have celebrated the local dance community, and this year, recipients were selected by a panel of six Houston dance professionals.

“I am very honored to receive this award and thank the panel for their hard work in the review process,” Stokes said. “I also would like to acknowledge all of the nominees and choreographers in Houston. There are many notable dance talents in our city that deserve recognition. Thanks to all my colleagues who are envisioning, creating and producing dance.”

Performed by Travesty Dance Group-Houston, which Stokes co-founded, Hometown is a two-act contemporary dance show that includes a cappella singing, text and choreography. Featuring 12 performers, the show focuses on various elements that define the city of Houston. Act 1 is titled “Range, Bayou, & Weather,” and Act 2 is titled “Ranch, Traffic and Space.” The original vocal score for Hometown was composed by Stokes with poetry and text as lyrics.

Stokes has led the dance program at the UH School of Theatre & Dance since 1998. The school offers the city’s only degrees in dance studies. Students can earn a bachelor of arts in dance, or a bachelor’s degree in dance with secondary teacher certification.

In 2000, Stokes founded the university’s Center for Choreography, which trains aspiring choreographers through discipline-specific curriculum and brings established talents to campus to serve as visiting lecturers. Among the nationally noted choreographers who have contributed their energies to the center are Karole Armitage, Nicholas Leichter, Mary Herzog and Kirk Andrews.

For the latest news from UH, visit www.uh.edu/news-events/.