UCSD Alumni Association Announces
Annual Award Recipients

Four distinguished honorees to be recognized at annual Awards for Excellence event

February 1, 2010

By Malinda Danziger

An internationally celebrated composer, conductor and musician; a trailblazing academic leader and accomplished research scientist; a broadcast entertainment industry executive; and a celebrated faculty member have all be named by the UCSD Alumni Association as the recipients of the 32nd annual Awards for Excellence. The prestigious awards honoring outstanding UC San Diego alumni and faculty will be presented during Alumni Weekend on Saturday, June 5.

The alumni honorees include:

Bun-Ching Lam, Ph.D. ’81

Outstanding Alumna of the Year, an internationally recognized and award-winning conductor, composer and musician;

LaVerne Ragster, Ph.D. ’80

Professional Achievement Award, a conservationist, research scientist, and education administrator, who has transformed not only the Caribbean region, but has earned national and worldwide respect from leading climate change scientists and environmental leaders;

Thom Sherman, ’88
Distinguished Service Award, a television producer and executive who has used his influence and considerable leadership to bring professionals across the entertainment industry—from film, media, theater and television – to impart advice to students and young alumni about the skills needed to break into the entertainment world;

The event will also recognize:

Sam Popkin, Ph.D.

Distinguished Teaching Award, a UC San Diego professor of political science    
who has made a lasting impression on his students who have gone on to     
pursue graduate degrees in business, law and academia.

These accomplished individuals will join the distinguished company of such previous award recipients as Donald Murphy, ’75, chief executive officer for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center ;  Khaled Hosseini, M.D. ’93, physician and best-selling author of “The Kite Runner”; Marcia McNutt, former president and CEO of the Monterrey Bay Aquarium  and now director of the United States Geological Survey; and J. Craig Venter, ’72, world-renowned genomic scientist and recipient of the 2009 National Medal of Science.
Proceeds from the Awards for Excellence, which is open to the public, will benefit the UCSD Alumni Association’s endowed scholarship programs.  For award recipient and event details, please visit www.alumni.ucsd.edu/awards or call (858) 534-3900. 

Media Contact: Malinda Danziger, 858-822-0063, mdanziger@ucsd.edu