Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, director of MFRI, received one of four Morrill Awards this week for her excellence as a teacher, researcher, and scholar, and her work in engagement on behalf of the university.
Created by Purdue's Office of the Provost, the award honors the 150th anniversary of the federal law that provided for the sale of 17.4 million acres of land, and proceeds from these sales were used to establish funding for colleges and universities such as Purdue University. The act was named for Vermont congressman and legislation sponsor Justin Smith Morrill, and mandated that the universities created from these funds bring education to a wider population by focusing on agriculture, mechanics and military tactics in addition to academics. On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the act into law.
"We are so proud that our director has been recognized as one of the four distinguished professors to receive this award," said Martina Sternberg, assistant director of MFRI. "Her leadership and scholarship sets an excellent example for the staff at MFRI. And through her engagement with leaders across the state, the nation, and the world, she is a champion for families – especially military families – and, of course, for Purdue."
The Morrill Award was presented at the Faculty Awards Convocation held Thursday, April 26 at Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium. Each award was accompanied by a $30,000 prize, which may be used as discretionary funds or as salary supplement. Other winners were R. Graham Cooks, Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry; Mark Lundstrom, Don and Carol Scifres Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Eugene Spafford, professor of computer science.