Barufaldi, Roux named 2002 Piper Professors

AUSTIN, Texas—The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation has selected two professors at The University of Texas at Austin — Dr. James P. Barufaldi, professor of curriculum and instruction, and Dr. Stanley J. Roux Jr., professor of molecular cell and developmental biology, as 2002 Piper Professors.

President Larry R. Faulkner presented the award, which includes a $5,000 stipend, along with a certificate of merit and commemorative gold pin, during a ceremony earlier this month. The honor, given by the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award Foundation, recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching in colleges and universities throughout Texas.

Barufaldi, director of the Science Education Center at the university, earned a bachelor’s degree in the biological sciences from Marietta (Ohio) College, a master’s degree in biology and education from Kent State University and a doctor’s degree in science education from the University of Maryland. He has directed numerous federally funded projects such as the U. S. Department of Education Project-General Science Content and Inquiry Skills Improvement Program, the Title II funded Coordinated Thematic Science In-service Program, the Science Content Improvement Program and the Texas Elementary Science In-service Program.

Barufaldi is principal investigator for the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching and the National Science Foundation Chautauqua-Type Short Courses for College Science Teachers. He has supervised more than 50 dissertations and theses in science education.

Roux earned a doctor’s degree from Yale University in 1971. In his laboratory, Roux is conducting studies into ways the environmental stimuli of light and gravity alter patterns of growth and development in plants. He has received funding from NASA to prepare a Space Shuttle experiment that will allow his researchers to identify genes that are differentially expressed in micro gravity and to examine the role of these genes in mediating the gravity response.

Established in 1958, the foundation gives 10 awards annually to teachers who are devoted to their professions and have made a special impact on their students and their community.

For further information contact: Richard Bonnin, (512) 471-3151.