UC Irvine biological physicist Zuzanna S. Siwy has been named a 2007 Sloan Research Fellow, one of the most prestigious awards given to young researchers.
Siwy is one of 116 scientists nationwide this year to receive the award, intended to enhance the careers of outstanding young faculty members in scientific fields ranging from chemistry and computer science to mathematics and neuroscience.
Siwy, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, develops artificial systems that mimic the behavior of biological systems. Her research focuses on tiny pores through which ions and molecules go in and out of living cells. She also develops sensors for detecting biomolecules, as well as tiny devices that control the flow of ions and molecules in water-based solutions. Siwy joined the UCI faculty in 2005.
"Zuzanna Siwy is an outstanding young scientist who brings a unique ability to make exciting new materials to the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the School of Physical Sciences," said John C. Hemminger, dean of the School of Physical Sciences. "We congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award."
The Department of Physics and Astronomy ranks 10th among public research universities in the United States for scientific influence in the field of physics, according to the Institute for Scientific Information.
Dozens of faculty members in the School of Physical Sciences have received Sloan fellowships. The school gained international prominence in 1995 when F. Sherwood Rowland and Frederick Reines received Nobel Prizes, in chemistry and physics respectively. These awards made UCI the first public university with faculty receiving Nobel Prizes in two different fields in the same year.
The school – also featuring departments of chemistry, mathematics and Earth system science – is home to more than 1,500 students, 140 faculty members and $36.5 million in annual extramural funding. Its research rates among the nation's finest in atmospheric chemistry, organic chemistry, geoscience, elementary particle physics and condensed matter physics.
About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,800 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.7 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
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