Names and Faces

Shirelle Alexander, a personnel analyst in Campus Human Resources and an undergraduate at UCLA, recently won the Renaissance Award for 2008. This special prize is awarded by faculty in the Center for the Study of Women to recognize an outstanding undergraduate woman who returned or is returning to college after a period of years.

Sheila Bergman is the new executive director for external affairs for the School of the Arts and Architecture. Her responsibilities include development, communications and alumni relations. Before she came to UCLA, she was executive director of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Foundation, where she received a service commendation from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Vedang Londhe, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at Mattel Children's Hospital, received the 2008 Ross Award in Research by a Young Investigator at the Western Society of Pediatric Research's annual meeting. Londhe's research focuses on the role of inflammation during lung development. He is currently coordinating four major research projects.

Jeffrey H. Miller, distinguished professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics, and member of the Molecular Biology Institute, has won the EMS Award from the Environmental Mutagen Society in recognition of outstanding research contributions in the area of environmental mutagenesis.

The Association of American Medical Colleges recently awarded Elaine Schmidt an Award of Excellence in its "shoestring PR" category, which recognizes outstanding approaches on a limited budget to promote academic medicine in the U.S. Schmidt, who was honored for obtaining extensive national news coverage of UCLA medical student and amputee Kellie Lim, is a senior public information representative in Health Sciences Media Relations.