06-38
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2006
Contact: Christine Somosi – 216-397-4663
www.jcu.edu

JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR RECEIVES
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

Cleveland, OH –Mark J. Waner, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at John Carroll University, has been selected to receive the Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence. This award, established in 1990, is presented annually to a teacher who demonstrates model classroom teaching and outstanding instructional support. It was named for Chicago elementary school teacher Lucrezia Culicchia, the mother of 1964 John Carroll graduate Anthony N. Culicchia.

Nominations for the Culicchia award must include at least three letters from the candidate’s students and letters from two faculty colleagues. The winner is selected by a committee comprised of previous winners, the president of the Student Union, the chairperson of the Academics Committee of the Student Union, and the president of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society.

Dr. Waner received his B.S. from John Carroll University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from
Michigan State University. He joined John Carroll’s faculty in August of 1999 and currently teaches General and Physical Chemistry courses. In addition to theses classes, he teaches in the M.A. in Integrated Science program for middle school teachers and has interests in education outreach and promotion of K-12 science education though various service projects.

Dr. Waner has given presentations relating to biophysical studies of proteins, as well as presenting at workshops for K-12 students and teachers. Dr. Waner also continues to explore different areas of chemistry including biophysical studies of proteins in solution, protein structure at solid and liquid interfaces and metal oxide thin films by low temperature routes.

John Carroll University, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a liberal arts university grounded in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. The university has some 3,350 plus undergraduates and just over 750 graduate students. The U.S. News & World Report’s 2006 annual college guide ranks John Carroll University among the top 10 master’s-degree granting universities in the Midwest and first in average graduation rate. Originally founded as St. Ignatius College in 1886, the university was renamed in 1923 to honor America’s first Catholic bishop, John Carroll of Maryland. John Carroll is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities located in the United States.

###