Learn more about recent honors, appointments and publications at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in this week’s achievements column.

Honors

• Megan Cardwell, doctoral student in communication studies, will receive the Outstanding Thesis Award from the Interpersonal Communication Division of the National Communication Association for her thesis “Examining the Role of Sibling Interaction in Multiethnic-Racial Identity Development in the United States.”

• Richard Leiter, professor of law and director of the Schmid Law Library, was honored with the 2020 American Law Libraries Special Interest Section’s Frederick Charles Hicks Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Law Librarianship. In the nomination, Leiter was cited for his service, scholarship, work on the podcast “Law Librarian Conversations,” and his “spectacular ability to bring people together to learn, develop and dissect the core values and vision of what it means to be a great law librarian.” Learn more about Leiter’s selection for the annual American Association of Law Libraries award.

• Aus Perez, third-year landscape architecture student in the College of Architecture, was one of 17 students selected to receive a Landscape Architecture Foundation scholarship. The national award recognizes leadership, rewards superior student performance, supports access and diversity, and assists students with unmet financial needs. Scholarship winners were selected through a competitive process by juries of leaders in landscape architecture practice, academia and industry.

• Jenna Pieper, associate professor of management, has been elected to the Human Resources Division Executive Committee within the Academy of Management. The committee is dedicated to improving HR practices, encouraging personal growth and development, and enhancing individual performance and well-being.

• Brett Ratcliffe, professor of entomology and curator with the University of Nebraska State Museum, along with his colleague Ron Cave from the University of Florida, has been presented with the J.O. Westwood Medal for Excellence in Insect Taxonomy from the Royal Entomological Society of the United Kingdom. Ratcliffe began studying scarab beetles in 1970 and has published more than 200 scholarly articles since then. Ratcliffe and Cave’s published books document the classification, distribution, and biology of more than 425 rhinoceros beetle species occurring in nearly 20 countries in Mesoamerica, North America, and the West Indies.

Appointments

• Rebecca Funk, assistant professor of practice in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been appointed as interim Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator. The role was formerly held by Rob Eirich, who has moved into a new position as an engagement zone coordinator for Nebraska Extension. The position is a partnership among the university, Nebraska Cattlemen and the Nebraska Beef Council.

• Brian M. Kelly, associate professor of architecture, has been appointed to a one-year position on the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s Education Committee by Robert Calvani, president-elect. Members of the committee contribute to the development of programs and initiatives impacting architecture education.

• David Scott McVey has been selected as the new director of Nebraska’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. In the role, which he will begin July 13, McVey will serve as the associate dean of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln/Iowa State University Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine.

• Michael Merten, current director of the Center for Family Resilience and professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University, will join Nebraska’s College of Education and Human Sciences on July 1 as chair of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies.

This column is a regular feature of Nebraska Today. Faculty, staff and students can submit achievements to be considered for this column via email to achievements@unl.edu. For more information, call 402-472-8515.