BGSU biological sciences professor honored

Dr. Ronny Woodruff (center) receives BGSU's Blinn Award from Joyce Blinn (left) after whose late husband the award is named, and President Carol Cartwright.

BOWLING GREEN, O. —Described as an outstanding researcher, a superb teacher and a cooperative colleague, Dr. Ronny Woodruff, a Distinguished Research Professor of biological sciences at Bowling Green State University, is the winner of this year’s Elliott L. Blinn Award for Faculty-Undergraduate Student Innovative Basic Research/Creative Work. 

Woodruff was presented the award at the annual Faculty Recognition Dinner on March 22.  The award is given in memory of the late Dr. Elliott Blinn, a chemistry professor who devoted his career to sharing with undergraduate students the excitement of the discovery process.

Woodruff, with the help of nearly 90 undergraduate students, has studied the mechanisms of evolution using the fruit fly as a model organism. In the last two years, he and his students have published seven teaching articles and presented posters at several conferences and talks.

“He guided my growth from a rudderless student with an interest in biology to one driven to establish my own research program and contribute to science, ” said Amy Russell, BGSU alumna and assistant professor at Grand Valley State University.  “Generations of students at Bowling Green State University have benefitted immensely from Ron Woodruff’s mentoring, and it is right and fitting that the administration now recognizes Ron’s years of contributions to the BGSU undergraduate research experience.”

“Involvement of undergraduate studies in research in my laboratory has been one of the main reasons why being a biology professor is such a rewarding job,” said Woodruff. “I treasure my interactions with these students and will continue my co-learning with them until I retire or they find me frozen in the Life Sciences parking lot one cold winter morning.”

Woodruff received $2,500 and his department received $2,500 for continued support of undergraduate work.  He has asked for his share to be added to the departmental account.
                                                            

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(Posted March 23, 2010 )