Rider University :: newswire@Rider :: Five Inducted into Science Stairway of Fame

Five Inducted into Science Stairway of Fame

Dr. David Dupree, Dr. Michele Caggana, Dr. Eli Mordechai, Denise Alexander, Jeannie Alexander, Dr. Andrew Wnuk

Rider University’s science departments inducted five individuals into the Science Stairway of Fame during Reunion Weekend activities, June 15-17. Four are highly successful alumni, and the fifth was a beloved professor who created the Stairway of Fame and passed away in December.

The induction ceremony took place at a Saturday afternoon reception, June 16, in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Teaching and Learning Center, and featured the unveiling of plaques for the honorees.

“It was the dream of the late Richard Alexander (professor of marine sciences and assistant dean for science) to establish the Science Stairway of Fame to honor individuals who were exemplary students and have achieved significant professional success in their chosen careers,” said Dr. Jonathan Yavelow, assistant dean for science. “By honoring these truly outstanding individuals, Rider University is also honoring itself. The quality of these individuals, as well as the level of success they have attained in careers, is a model for our students to follow.”

In his welcoming comments, President Mordechai Rozanski said, “Being inducted into the Science Stairway of Fame not only represents the success you have had individually, it also reflects the quality of education that occurs here and reflects positively on the great mentors that you had, the faculty members that helped bring out the best in you. Then you added your own value, talent and sense of curiosity to succeed in the ways that you have.”

Donald Steven, provost and vice president for academic affairs, also congratulated the honorees. “It is so wonderful to see the absolutely fabulous careers that were launched from your Bachelor of Science degrees at Rider. The individual faculty mentoring that each of you received is really the hallmark of a Rider University education, helping students as individuals reach their full potential.”

The inductees for 2007 are:

• Dr. Richard Alexander, who mentored many students to launch many other successful scientific careers during his own outstanding 25-year career at Rider. He was the author of more than 100 published papers, presentations or abstracts at regional, national and international meetings. He created the Science Stairway of Fame to honor Rider’s science alumni who were exemplary students who have gone on to very successful careers in science.
• Dr. Michele Caggana ’86, the chief of the Laboratory of Newborn Screening and Genetic Disorders and deputy director of the Division of Genetic Disorders for the New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center. She received her B.S. degree in biochemistry from Rider in 1986 and her Sc.D. in cancer, cell and radiation biology from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1991. She is an author of 37 peer-reviewed original papers and reviews.
• Dr. David Dupree ’78, a leader of advanced technology commercial leasing and engineering-related consulting for Shell Global Solutions. His consulting work ranges from oil/gas discovery to commercial applications of hydrogen-based energy technology. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. degree in psychology from Rider in 1978. He went on to a Ph.D. program in experimental psychology at the University of Illinois, where he studied psychometrics, epistemology, cognitive science and information systems human factors.
• Dr. Eli Mordechai ’90, a founder and chief scientist of Medical Diagnostics Laboratories, a DNA-based medical diagnostics company. The company, originally housed in a garage, now employs 240. He graduated with a B.A. degree in biochemistry from Rider in 1990. In addition to being a member of Rider’s Science Advisory Board, he recently became a member of Rider’s Board of Trustees.
• Dr. Andrew Wnuk ’73, a member of Proctor & Gamble’s Corporate Prototyping and Packaging Development Division. He made significant contributions to the development of P&G brands Pampers, Bounty and Press & Seal food wrap. He has been named an inventor or co-inventor on 43 U.S. and foreign patents, impacting products as diverse as Pampers®, Bounty®, Always®, Dryel® dry cleaning kits, and Press ’n Seal® food wrap. He graduated with a B.S. degree in chemistry from Rider in 1973. He received his master’s degree in ceramic engineering in 1977 and his Ph.D. in materials science engineering in 1979 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

The Science Stairway of Fame features laser-etched silver pictures of the award-winning science graduates and honored faculty on walnut plaques. It is located in the glass-enclosed, three-flight stairwell that is a key part of the new research wing to the Science and Technology Center.