Erin Rand (Communication) received the 2006 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the National Communication Association's Division of Critical and Cultural Studies. Rand’s dissertation was “Risking Resistance: Rhetorical Agency in Queer Theory and Activism.”

Gary Beddingfield (Plant Operations) made a presentation about the university’s Red Bike Program at the conference Bridging the Town-Gown Divide, Issues in Transportation and Housing at the University of California, Davis. The conference, which featured “best practices” for Californian city, county and university/college officials, was co-sponsored by the California State University system. Click here for Red Bike Program details.

Steven Church (English) won the Colorado Book Award in Creative Nonfiction for his book, “The Guinness Book of Me: A Memoir of Record” (Simon & Schuster; $23), which was published in 2005. Church was eligible because he received his Master’s of Fine Arts from Colorado State University.

Lillian Faderman (English) and Stuart Timmons co-authored "Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians" (Basic Books; $27.50). The book draws on documents, archives, photos and interviews to report on how one of the most influential gay cultures came to be.

Elaine Garan (Literacy and Early Education) was quoted in a Washington Post article about the federal Reading First program. Garan is the author of “In Defense of Our Children: When Politics, Profit and Education Collide.” Click here to read article.

Victor Davis Hanson (Classics, emeritus) was awarded the Claremont Institute’s Statesmanship Award for 2006, which will be presented Nov. 10 during the organization’s annual dinner honoring Sir Winston Churchill. Among those the Southern California-based institute has awarded its top honor are President Reagan, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Rep. Jack Kemp and former Secretary of State Caspar Weinberger. Click here for more information.

Miles Ishigaki (Music) was honored by the University of Northern Colorado Alumni association as one of seven distinguished alumni. Ishigaki, a 1978 graduate of the school in Greeley, Colo., was rewarded for his creative activities, which includes teaching at Fresno State since 1987. Ishigaki chaired the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors since 1989 and is an experienced musician who has played with symphony orchestras in Colorado and California. He was founder of the West Coast Clarinet Congress. Click here for details.

George B. Kauffman (Chemistry, emeritus) published "Candid Science V: Conversations with Famous Scientists," The Chemical Educator, Aug. 1; "Modern Biopharmaceuticals: Design, Development and Optimization. Dedicated to Francis Crick (1916-2004)," ChemMedChem, Aug. 3; "Marguerite Catherine Perey (1909-1975)" (with Jean-Pierre Adloff, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France) in "Out of the Shadows: Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics," Cambridge University Press; and "Synthesis of Platinum (II) Chiral Tetraamine Coordination Complexes" (with Richard A. Houghten, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, et al, Journal of Combinatorial Chemistry, Sept. 11). Houghten, Kauffman's former research student, longtime collaborator and coauthor and inventor of the T-bag technique for the rapid isolation and production of pharmaceuticals, is the award-winning founder of six companies. He was the Fresno State Alumni Association’s Top Dog Distinguished Alumnus in 2005.

Greg Lewis (Mass Communication and Journalism) was honored by Region 10 of the National Press Photographers Association for his contributions as an educator.  Lewis was recognized at the California Photojournalism Faculty Reception during a conference in Fullerton.  

Laura Meyer (Art) participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Fresno Metropolitan Museum about site-specific art in Fresno. The panel examined how art fits into Fresno and how understanding and appreciation of a place can be changed by an art installation designed specifically for that place.

Manuel Olgin (Career Services) retired after 32 years of service to Fresno State. Olgin also has served as president of the Fresno State Alumni Association’s Chicano Alumni Chapter.

Sasan Rahmatian (Information Systems) taught a course in systems analysis and design at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Puebla, Mexico, as a senior Fulbright specialist. Rahmatian also presented specialized seminars to the school’s faculty and administrators about the systems approach to problem solving. 

John Stebbins (Biology) retired after 31 years at Fresno State. He received a master’s degree in botany from Fresno State and served as greenhouse technician and herbarium curator.

Carol Zapata-Whelan (Spanish and Hispanic literature) wrote “Finding Magic Mountain: Life with 5 Glorious Kids and a Rogue Gene Called FOP” (Avalon; $15.95), a memoir about the trials and triumphs of life with her son’s rare disorder. FOP stands for fibrodysplasia ossificans, a progressive disease that strikes one in 2 million individuals, turning muscle into bone. Click here for details.