Virginia Tech’s AdvanceVT Program has announced its 2006 leadership development program participants. The participants are: Dr. Kim Ellis, Dr. Sharron Jarrot, Dr. Eva Marand, Dr. Vicky Soghomonian, and Dr. Brenda Winkel.

Ellis, an associate professor in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and associate director of the Center for High Performance Manufacturing at Virginia Tech, received her doctoral degree from Georgia Tech. Her research program addresses operational planning problems that arise in manufacturing and service system.

Jarrot, an associate professor in human development, received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California and her master’s and doctorate degrees from Penn State University. Jarrot became the first Director of Research at the department’s Adult Day Services (ADS) program and has introduced innovative programs, including intergenerational programming, therapeutic horticulture, Montessori programming, and reminiscence therapy.

Marand, an associate professor in chemical engineering, received her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Massachusetts. Her primary research projects include the development of mixed matrix membranes consisting of highly gas selective zeolites, carbon nano-tubes, or layered inorganic sheets in polymer matrices.

Soghomonian, an associate professor of physics, completed her doctorate degree at Syracuse University. Her current research focuses on the synthesis, fabrication, and characterization of biological, organic, and hybrid organic/inorganic nanoscale devices and assemblies.

Winkle, an associate professor in the biological science department, came to Virginia Tech after completing her doctorate degree at the University of Georgia. Her recent efforts have been focused on developing new paradigms for graduate research and training, including leading the establishment of a new cross-college Molecular Plant Sciences Graduate Program with support from an AdvanceVT Leadership Fellowship.

The AdvanceVT Leadership Development Program selects a small cohort of women faculty from across the university who demonstrate an interest in and potential to assume leadership roles to participate in an assessment and follow up activities designed to build specific leadership skills. Based on a self-assessment and input from colleagues, participants develop individualized plans to enhance their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. In addition, they participate in seminars and workshops with current leaders at Virginia Tech and outside experts.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become among the largest universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech’s eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.

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