April 29, 2004

MEDIA CONTACT:

Matt Lindsay: (202) 994-1423; mlindsay@gwu.edu

THREE GW PROFESSORS AWARDED 2004 OSCAR AND SHOSHANA

TRACHTENBERG PRIZES

Professors Hamano, Reddaway and Wirtz Honored for Their Contributions to GW

WASHINGTON -- Three professors at The George Washington University have been honored for their contributions to the GW community with the 2004 Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prizes. The prizes were endowed by GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg in memory of his parents.  Shoko Hamano, associate professor of Japanese, was awarded the 2004 Prize for Teaching; Peter Reddaway, professor of political science and international affairs, won the 2004 Prize for Faculty Scholarship; and the 2004 Prize for Faculty Service went to Philip Wirtz, professor of management science and of psychology. 

"Whether it be through their teaching, research or service, each of these professors has had a profound impact and a positive influence on life at GW," said President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. "We are proud to call these faculty members teachers, colleagues and friends."  

Hamano was honored for her dedication to her students and her pioneering approach to teaching Basic Japanese, Intermediate Japanese and Readings in Modern Japanese. Her areas of expertise include Japanese linguistics, historical phonology and Japanese pedagogy. The Trachtenberg Prize for Teaching is presented annually to a tenured member of the GW faculty who regularly teaches undergraduate students. Faculty members are nominated by undergraduates; prize recipients are selected by a committee comprising past winners and a student representative. Established in 1990, the award recognizes excellence in teaching defined as the accurate and effective communication to undergraduates of important cultural, historical and/or scientific subject matter as well as current scholarship and scholarly debate in the fields involved.

Reddaway, a leading scholar in the field of Russian politics, received the faculty scholarship prize in recognition of his highly regarded research and publications about the economic, political and social structure of Russia and the former Soviet Union. The first Trachtenberg Prize for Faculty Scholarship was awarded in 1992.  The purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding research accomplishments while they are being made rather than after the fact. The prize recognizes significant, original contributions to the base of knowledge or understanding in a discipline or field of study; original artistic or literary works of significance; and/or significant contributions to important public policy issues. GW faculty members nominate their colleagues for this award.

Wirtz is being honored for his contributions to the GW community and his diligent work as a member of the Faculty Senate.  His areas of academic expertise include research methodology, statistical modeling and treatment efficacy for substance abuse. The Trachtenberg Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to a tenured member of the faculty to recognize exceptional service to the University. Service to be recognized may include active membership in the Faculty Senate; active membership on University committees; and other activities that directly involve institutional governance or the conduct of the University's corporate affairs. Nominations are collected from faculty members and a prize recipient is selected by a committee comprised of previous winners, a representative from the Faculty Senate and individuals nominated by the executive vice president of academic affairs.

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