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Lipsey wins Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement

Mark Lipsey of Peabody was awarded the Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research at Fall Faculty Assembly for his contributions to education studies and the design of evaluation studies.

Mark Lipsey, director of the Peabody Research Institute (center), receives the Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research at Fall Faculty Assembly (Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt)

“Mark’s work is having a transformative effect on the quality of education in Tennessee,” said Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos at the Aug. 25 event in the Student Life Center. “He has produced seminal social science and public policy research on such topics as early childhood education and risk and intervention for juvenile delinquency and substance abuse.”

The Sutherland award comes with a $5,000 prize and the winner’s name is engraved on a silver bowl, which the winner keeps for a year.

Lipsey, director of the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, is currently helping to conduct a five-year $6 million study on the effectiveness of Tennessee’s pre-kindergarten program.

The Fall Faculty Assembly program began with a presentation by Robert E. Whaley, Valere Blair Potter Professor of Management and Finance, on “Financial Innovation.” After remarks by David A. Weintraub, chair of the Faculty Senate, Zeppos passed out the awards and gave his bi-annual address to the senate.

Kassian Kovalcheck, associate professor of communication studies (center), is congratulated by Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos (left) and David Weintraub, chair of the Faculty Senate, during Fall Faculty Assembly (Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt)

In other awards at the assembly, Kassian Kovalcheck was presented the Thomas Jefferson Award and six professors – Brandt Eichman, Larry Isaac, Jeffrey Johnston, Antonis Rokas and the team of David Zald and Robert Kessler – won Chancellor’s Awards for Research.

“Kass has been a valued member of the Vanderbilt faculty for more than 40 years and has served the university with rare dedication and unfaltering commitment,” Zeppos said of Kovalcheck, associate professor of communication studies.

The Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes distinguished service to Vanderbilt by a faculty member. It is accompanied by a $2,500 prize and an engraved pewter goblet.

“He possesses a unique gift for leading his colleagues collegially, but with a focused sense of purpose, toward consensus,” Zeppos said. “Anyone who has been charged with bringing a group of highly intelligent faculty with varying opinions together can appreciate what a feat that can be.”

Also at Fall Faculty Assembly, 44 professors were recognized for 25 years of service. The following faculty will receive commemorative chairs:

Michael L. Aurbach
Bruce R. Beyer
Italo Biaggioni
Victoria Burrus
Jorge H. Capdevila
Robert J. Coffey
Mark A. Cohen
Roger J. Colbran
Jeffrey M. Davidson
James A. Duncavage
Mark N. Ellingham
Barbara Engelhardt
James A. Epstein
Howard A. Fuchs
Marie R. Griffin
Stephen R. Hann
Douglas P. Hardin
Raymond C. Harris
Donna S. Hummell
Valentina Kon
Craig M. Lewis
Julia B. Lewis
Peter R. Martin
Lynn M. Matrisian
James M. May
Michael E. May
Thomas A.J. McGinn
James L. Netterville
Robert H. Ossoff
Joe Rea Phillips
John B. Pietsch
Robert W. Pitz
William Russell Ries
Michael A. Rose
Deborah Wells Rowe
Linda J. Sealy
Roland W. Stein
Arleen M. Tuchman
Noel B. Tulipan
Sait A. Umar
P. Anthony Weil
Aida Yared
Paul J. Yoder
David L. Zealear