Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, Eliot Corday Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science and director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, received the inaugural “Turning Guidelines into Lifelines^SM Award,” from the American Heart Association for his extraordinary efforts and leadership in developing and implementing the “Get With The Guidelines” programs, which promote consistent, up-to-date, guidelines-based care for millions of heart patients.

Dr. Ronald Busuttil, Dumont Professor of Transplantation Surgery and Chief of the Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplant in the Department of Surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine, has been named one of two recipients of the 2010 Francis Moore Excellence in Mentorship in Transplantation Surgery Award. The American Society of Transplant Surgeons gives out the award in order to recognize the efforts of established surgeons who guide and instruct fellowship trainees and junior faculty. Busuttil has been a member of the UCLA Department of Surgery since 1978, and he established the Liver Transplant Program in 1984. His training program in liver transplantation is regarded as one of the foremost in the world, and he has performed over 2,000 liver transplantations in the course of his career.

President Obama announced Nov. 2 the appointment of Thom Mayne, Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, to the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, founder of Metamorphosis and co-founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, he recently unveiled the FLOAT House, an affordable, sustainable and pre-fabricated housing prototype in New Orleans. Among his architectural projects are the San Franicisco Federal building, the Cooper Union academic building in Manhattan and the Phare Tower in Paris. Obama also appointed to the committee other well-known individuals, including Yo-Yo Ma, Edward Norton, Anna Wintour and Alfre Woodard.   

Lev Hakak, professor of Hebrew literature in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, was chosen to receive a Recognition Prize by Ahi (the Association for the Promotion of Research, Literature and Art), founded in Israel by Jews from Iraq. Professor Hakak was born in Baghdad in 1944 and came to Israel during the mass immigration from Iraq. Until now, the recipients of this prize were all Israeli residents. A U.S. citizen, Prof. Hakak will receive the award at a ceremony in Israel on Nov. 21 where he will speak about his last four books. Hakak has published poetry, novels and literary criticism. His most recent book is "The  Emergence of Modern Hebrew Creativity in Babylon, 1735-1950." 

Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero was elected Oct. 23 to a four-year term as a trustee of the College Board by member delegates voting at the association's annual meeting of members. Her term will continue until 2013. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It serves 7 million students and parents, 23,000 high schools and 3,500 colleges through its programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT and the Advanced Placement Programs. The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the College Board. It is charged with making legal and fiduciary decisions for the corporation; establishing policies related to membership, programs and services; and approving its mission, strategic goals and objectives.

On Friday Oct. 30, city officials will celebrate the start of Native American Heritage Month in the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles City Councilmembers and others are hosting the event, which will honor the 40^th year of the UCLA American Indian Studies Center. The theme for this year’s heritage month is “Elders wisdom, youth vision.” Angela Riley (left), a visiting professor in the UCLA School of Law and American Indian Studies Center associate acting director, and Rebecca Hernandez, management services officer for the center, will represent the center.