CI professor honored with Edward M. McAleer Jr. Excellence and Innovation Award
Camarillo, Calif., May 23, 2012 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor Ching-Hua Wang
has received the 2012 Edward M. McAleer Jr. Excellence and Innovation Award. The
award is given each year to one highly regarded CSU employee from the system’s 23
campuses who has demonstrated a consistent and significant pattern of innovation and
excellence in support of the work of the CSU Extended University.
The award, named after the late Dr. Edward M. McAleer Jr., former statewide dean of
the CSU Extended University, carries a $1,000 honorarium, a letter of recognition
from the Chair of the CSU Commission on the Extended University, recognition on the
Commission website, and a personalized plaque. Wang is the fifth recipient of the
award since its inception in 2008.
“I am honored by this award,” said Wang, a Professor of Immunology and Microbiology
at CI. “The students drive me to work hard and passionately because they represent
the future of our country. It makes me proud to see students’ lives transformed through
the education they have received at CSU Channel Islands.”
Wang’s influence as one of CI’s first faculty members can be seen and felt throughout
the campus today. She worked effectively with fellow faculty members and created
and developed many of the University’s programs in science and health science, including
bachelor’s degrees in biology, environmental science and resource management, nursing,
and health science, and graduate programs in biotechnology and bioinformatics, as
well as a dual M.S. in Biotechnology/MBA degree.
Through Wang’s and program faculty's efforts, CI has become nationally regarded in
the fields of biotechnology and bioinformatics. In 2005, she launched the M.S. in
Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Program and later the M.S. in Biotechnology/MBA Dual
Degree Program – the first of its kind within the CSU system. As Director of both
programs, Wang has forged strong partnerships between the University and the biotechnology
industry, enlisting biotech industry professionals and faculty to provide students
with top-notch instruction, internship and research opportunities. Of the two programs’
more than 140 graduates, nearly 100 percent have entered the biotech workforce or
have advanced to graduate or professional schools. The programs have also generated
more than $7 million in revenues for the University.
Wang has raised more than $14 million in grant funding to support academic programs,
student research and scholarships. She oversees two grants awarded by the California
Institute for Regenerative Medicine that fund year-long stem cell research projects
at world-renowned institutions.
“Dr. Wang exhibits the kind of creativity that allows us to educate our students for
their future, not our past,” said CI President Richard R. Rush. “She is a committed
educator and an exceptional leader, effectively undertaking a demanding role over
many years. She is truly a person of remarkable foresight and leadership. Clearly,
Dr. Wang makes a difference.”
Wang began her career in the CSU system in 1990. She holds an M.D. from Beijing Medical
College, an M.S. from Beijing University, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.
For more information on the Edward M. McAleer Jr. Excellence and Innovation Award,
visit http://www.gateway.calstate.edu/ceu/awards.htm.
For additional information about CI’s programs contact Dr. Ching-Hua Wang at 805-437-8870
or ching-hua.wang@csuci.edu.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County
and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives,
and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI?s strong academic programs
focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative
master?s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology,
and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated
by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed
to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond.