The President’s Public Service Awards are given out annually to professors from each of the University of Massachusetts’ five campuses. This year’s recipient from UMass Boston is Gary N. Siperstien, who works in the College of Public and Community Service. He is most well known for being the founder of the Center for Social Development and Education at UMass Boston, which serves to “promote the social development of children with disabilities and increase their success in school and the community.” The center is recognized across the United States as a leader in developmental research and specialization in children with learning disabilities or behavioral problems. Mr. Siperstein was awarded this honor because of his work with children who were developmentally underachieving throughout Boston.
“This is the tenth anniversary of the University’s President’s Public Service Award, and this year’s winners continue in the impressive tradition of the earlier winners,” UMass President Jack M. Wilson announced. He went on to explain that the award recipients throughout the UMass system were a “credit” to the UMass community and public service across the globe. “We want to add our own recognition…[I]t is important that (UMass) acknowledge how much we value their presence within the UMass system.”
UMass Board of Trustees chairman Robert J. Manning continued to heap on the praise. “These individuals…are the key to what makes the University of Massachusetts such an exciting and rewarding place to study or work. I know that I benefited tremendously from my exposure to so many great minds when I was a student at UMass Lowell…[S]tudents know that they will have opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research early on in their academic careers with professors who are among the best in their chosen fields.”
Other professors to receive the award this year were M. Idali Torres, Ph.D., from UMass Amherst for her dedication to developmental health in her community; Memory A. Holloway, Ph.D., of UMass Dartmouth for service in helping feed needy kids in the South Coast region; Kay G. Roberts, Ph.D., of UMass Lowell for her work promoting music as a way to keep kids out of trouble; Fred Martin, Ph.D., of UMass Lowell for his work revolutionizing science education for K-12; and Stephen J. Doxsey, Ph.D., of UMass Medical School for his work in integrating and creating interest in the medicinal job field at the University of Massachusetts. The State House held an exhibit featuring photos and information about this year’s winner from February 19 through the 29.
Since the creation of the President’s Public Service Award in 1998, there have been 59 awards given to University of Massachusetts Professors.