Monday, September 27, 2004

LAWRENCEVILLE -- Dr. Don Ambrose, professor of graduate education at Rider University, is widely known as an expert in the area of giftedness, talent development, and creative intelligence. On September 29, Rider University will laud him for his work, naming Ambrose the 2004 recipient of the Dominick A. Iorio Award for Faculty Research.

Named in honor of Dr. Dominick A. Iorio, dean emeritus of Liberal Arts and Science at Rider, the award recognizes distinguished faculty scholarship and research. Nominations for the award come from the faculty and are reviewed for final selection by a faculty committee. Dr. Phyllis Frakt, vice president for academic affairs and provost, will present the award to Ambrose on Iorio’s behalf that evening at a dinner celebrating the occasion. The dinner takes place at 5:30 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge of the Bart Luedeke Center. Following her presentation, Ambrose will speak about his interdisciplinary research.

“This award means a great deal to me,” said Ambrose. “The University has been very supportive of my work and provides a strong context for scholarship. This is evident in the work of many of my colleagues who are international leaders in their fields.”

Ambrose joined the School of Education faculty at Rider in 1993. For the last decade, he has been engaged in an interdisciplinary search for theories, philosophical perspectives and research findings that challenge, refine, and expand thinking about the development of creative intelligence. In an extensive collection of articles, book chapters and books, Ambrose has contended that cultural and philosophical “insularity” perpetuates narrow conceptions of giftedness, talent and creativity.

Ambrose has taken leadership roles in international attempts to expand the theoretical frameworks for gifted education, general education, and creative studies. He has initiated and edited collaborative, interdisciplinary publication projects, including several special issues of leading scholarly journals, and is past chair of the Conceptual Foundations Division of the National Association for Gifted Children.

For dinner reservations, call Pat Lutz at (609) 896-5000, ext. 7058.