Mitchel Rosen, associate professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health and director of the Center for Public Health Workforce Development at the Rutgers School of Public Health, has been elected as a fellow to the Collegium Ramazzini.
2024 Rutgers Health Chancellor Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in the Rutgers School of Public Health Community
Five distinguished members of the Rutgers School of Public Health community have been recognized with 2024 Rutgers Health Chancellor Awards for their outstanding contributions. These awards honor exceptional achievement in research, education, mentorship, service, and lifetime contributions.
Recognized with the Sustained Service Award, Rhonda Barnes, admissions coordinator, has significantly and continuously contributed to the quality of Rutgers across her 35-year career at the university. Her dedicated efforts have been vital in supporting the mission and operations of Rutgers Health, ensuring consistent and exceptional service delivery. "I am incredibly grateful to accept this award,” said Barnes. “It demonstrates my active engagement and meaningful connections across Rutgers University and its community. I am aware that many colleagues and friends have supported and assisted me along the way, so I share this award and recognition with all of the Rutgers School of Public Health."
Paul R. Duberstein, professor and chair of the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy, earned the Distinguished Mentor Award. This recognition highlights his outstanding commitment to mentoring postdoctoral and clinical fellows, junior faculty, staff, and students across all academic levels, fostering a culture of growth and development within Rutgers. “I am grateful for all the opportunities I have had to provide mentorship to talented Rutgers staff, trainees and faculty,” said Duberstein. “There is a lot of untapped potential here at Rutgers and I look forward to future mentoring successes.”
The Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award for Faculty has been awarded to Jeffrey D. Laskin, a distinguished professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, and director of the Division of Toxicology at the Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute. Laskin's lifetime of distinguished achievements in clinical care, education, research, and community engagement underscores his enduring commitment to advancing the institution's mission and the broader health field. "I appreciate the university’s recognition of my sustained record of scholarly and transformative achievements in the fields of pharmacology and toxicology,” said Laskin. “I am hopeful that my work will inspire future generations of students, post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty to continue working in these exciting fields."
The Distinguished Educator Award has been given to Laura E. Liang, senior associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy. Liang has demonstrated exceptional and sustained contributions to education, teaching, and training, continually elevating the academic experience at Rutgers. “Being awarded the Chancellor Distinguished Educator Award is a true honor that celebrates the joy I find in mentoring and teaching, reflecting the collective efforts of my students and colleagues,” said Liang. “This award affirms the value of teaching and encourages me to continue pushing the boundaries of educational excellence.”
Slawa Rokicki, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy, received the Excellence in Clinical or Health Sciences Research Award. Her dedication to improving health outcomes and significant contributions as an early career investigator, particularly her research on the structural and social determinants of maternal health, has greatly advanced clinical and health sciences research at Rutgers Health. She shared, "For me, this award signifies recognition of the critical importance of advancing knowledge in the field of maternal health, in addressing the substantial racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to quality health care, and in improving health for women and families."
Introduced in 2020, the Chancellor Awards recognize the exceptional efforts of faculty and staff in 15 categories that span research in biomedical and health sciences, clinical care, community service, mentorship, education, leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and staff service. Award recipients, nominated by their peers, are selected by the Chancellor Awards Committee after a thorough review of their impactful contributions.
