Two Portland State University faculty members will be honored at the Oregon Academy of Science's annual meeting on Saturday, February 28, 1 - 2 p.m., for excellence in research and teaching.

Aslam Khalil, a professor of Physics, will receive the Oregon Academy of Science's "Outstanding Scientist" award, and Gwen Shusterman, an associate professor of Chemistry, will receive the "Outstanding Teacher in Higher Education" award.

The awards are given annually to scientists and educators in the state of Oregon who have been nominated by their peers and selected by the Council of the Oregon Academy of Science, based on accumulated body of work, both in scientific research and contributions to science education. Khalil and Shusterman will be presented with their awards at the Academy's annual meeting at Portland State University, the venue this year for the meeting. Visit www.oas.pdx.edu for more information.

Aslam Khalil has been a member of PSU's Department of Physics since 1995 where he directs the Global Change Research Program, which conducts research on areas ranging from the sources and characteristics of urban air pollution to the long-term global effects of man-made pollutants. He has published more than 180 papers dealing with a wide spectrum of subjects related to global change science. Khalil has won nearly $10 million in research grants while in Oregon and is well known for his pioneering research in the field of trace gas chemistry in the atmosphere.

Gwen Shusterman has been a member of PSU's Department of Chemistry since 1989 where she has debunked the notion that a "hard" instructor cannot be respected by students. Her courses are recognized as rigorous, yet she garners the respect and admiration of her students. She is recognized as a great lecturer who cares about student's learning and is the recipient of two John Eliot Allen teaching awards from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at PSU, an award chosen by top students in their major. She is also recognized by her peers as one of the best educators in the sciences at Portland State University.

"We are delighted for Dr. Khalil and Dr. Shusterman. Dr. Khalil represents the very best of the academic professional. He is an internationally recognized scholar and a committed teacher. He has been an extraordinary addition to our Physics department," said Marvin Kaiser, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University. "Dr. Shusterman is the epitome of the perfect science educator. She truly loves chemistry and it is exciting to witness her personal connection and engagement with every new student in Introductory Chemistry. They are both inspirations to our students at Portland State University."

The Oregon Academy of Science, founded in 1943, promotes science education and scientific research throughout Oregon and works to encourage communication among Oregon scientists, both private and public, through the open forum of its annual meeting and by election of its annual awards. For more information on the Oregon Academy of Science visit www.oas.pdx.edu.

Portland State University, Oregon's only urban university, is the largest and most diverse in the state system. The University's position in Oregon's economic and cultural center allows for deep community engagement and the creation of partnerships with hundreds of organizations throughout the region - partnerships that give PSU students valuable learning opportunities as they solve real-world problems of business and community. Portland State offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as graduate certificates and continuing education programs. PSU serves more students and confers more master's degrees annually than any other Oregon university.

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Release Number: 04-019