Entomology Professor receives APLU grant
UCR Entomology Professor Timothy Paine has been awarded the Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences grant last week, as one of nine recipients in this category.
The $2,000 grant was awarded to Paine at the 128th Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) meeting which is held annually and took place from Nov. 15-17 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Paine has been recognized through his service to students from the APLU, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
In 1973, Paine earned both of his bachelor’s degrees in history and entomology at the University of California, Davis. He then proceeded to obtain his PhD in entomology in 1981, also at UC Davis.
Paine specializes in working on pest management of insects that affect woody ornamental plants. Paine also conducts research projects that focus on studying the biological and ecological effects of urban environments on plant and insect communities. In addition, he has authored a number of research publications during his 28-year teaching career at UCR.
In the past, Paine has served as chairman of the UCR Department of Entomology and divisional dean for the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS). Additionally, he works as a mentor for other faculty by helping to organize and by participating in the “Excellence in Teaching” seminar series and the “First Year Faculty Teaching Excellence” seminar series.
Paine plans to use the grant to improve his innovative teaching methods.
Some of Paine’s recent awards that he has received include the 2011 Pacific Branch Entomological Society of America Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2010 International Society of Arboriculture, Western Chapter, Arboricultural Research Award and the Entomological Society of America Distinguished Achievement Award in Horticultural Entomology in 2009.
The APLU meeting also featured UC President Janet Napolitano as a keynote speaker, in which she discussed the future of public universities and their impact on students and society.
Play in Joshua Tree
UCR professor of playwriting Charles Evered will have his play “An Actor’s Carol” performed at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center in Joshua Tree National Park from Dec. 4-12.
Possessing a strong affection for the original story of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Evered created “An Actor’s Carol.”
“An Actor’s Carol” chronicles the life of the main character, Hugh Pendleton, and his experiences of playing the character of Scrooge too many times. Following a humiliating performance, Pendleton receives a visit from three independent spirits.
Evered’s play features 17 different characters that are portrayed by only four actors. Hal Linden and Barry Cutler split a role, while the other cast members include Kirk Geiger, Noelle Geiger and Ben Atkinson. The set used in the play was designed by Haibo Yu, an internationally recognized UCR professor of production and design in the Department of Theatre, Film and Digital Production.
In the past, Evered has also written other plays that have been performed around the world and has worked in writing for major studios including Dreamworks and Paramount.
