Robert L. Stearns Award: Barbara A. Bintliff

A legal scholar and outstanding, innovative director of the law library, Barbara Bintliff has perhaps been most successful at what is least known about her: her untiring service on several high-level university committees that had groundbreaking success.

Barbara came to CU in 1984 as senior instructor and associate director of the William A. Wise Law Library at the CU School of Law. She became director of the law library and associate professor in 1989. She was appointed Nicholas Rosenbaum Professor of Law in 2002, where she was the first and, for several years, the only woman on the Boulder campus to hold an endowed chair.

As law library director Barbara transformed the law library from a mom and pop operation to a 21st century library in the areas of technological access, physical facilities, and collection depth and service, all with a fraction of the budget of comparable academic law libraries.

In the last few years she’s held other leadership roles at CU, including service as chair of the Boulder Faculty Assembly between 2003 and 2005, a period over- shadowed by an athletics scandal and the controversial Ward Churchill case.

Barbara has shown an incisive eye for grasping the implications of important issues. She strategizes carefully and then moves quickly to make difficult situations an opportunity for faculty contribution rather than anger and despair.

She also has served on the BFA Special Committee on Intercollegiate Athletic Reform from 2006 until the present and a committee to further the BFA’s proposal to mitigate alcohol abuse. The proposed reforms of the athletic committee were presented in a speedy fashion to the regents and became the basis for broad-ranging reforms at CU.

The University is proud to present the Robert L. Stearns Award to Barbara A. Bintliff for her service, leadership and perseverance.

Robert L. Stearns Award: Marvin H. Caruthers

A distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry who has been at CU for 35 years, Marvin Caruthers is known worldwide for his groundbreaking invention of the nucleic acid chemistry used universally for DNA and RNA synthesis, one of the key foundations of modern biotechnology. Marvin was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Science last year, the nation’s highest accolade for scientific achievement, which recognizes his lifetime accomplishments as a chemistry professor, researcher and biotechnology innovator.

The rapid chemical synthesis of DNA and RNA is one of the cornerstone technologies that has fueled the development of biotechnology, basic research in biology and pharmacology worldwide. It is required for sequencing genomes, isolating genes that are pharmaceutically useful, diagnosing diseases using DNA chips and for forensic “finger printing.”

In 1980 Marvin co-founded two major biotechnology companies based on his research: Applied Biosystems and Amgen. Amgen is credited with developing blockbuster medicines used widely to treat anemia and rheumatoid arthritis and for supportive care. He says he is very happy to be able to do basic research at CU that enables him to develop commercial products that save lives and improve our understanding of human biology.

One of the lesser-known cornerstones of Marvin’s career at CU has been his considerable teaching contributions to the University, especially as a mentor to graduate students and postdoctoral associates. Several of his students have gone on to do leading-edge, award- winning research. To a person, they all regard Marvin as one of the key influences in their lives as a teacher and as a friend.

The University is proud to present the Robert L. Stearns Award to Marvin H. Caruthers for his vision, curiosity and commitment.

Robert L. Stearns Award: David E. Clough

David has been a professor of chemical engineering at CU-Boulder since receiving his doctorate from CU in the discipline in 1975. For more than three decades he

has provided extraordinary service to CU students, the department of chemical engineering, the College of Engineering and broader efforts across campus and in his profession.

While David was the associate dean for academic affairs from 1986 to 1992, he conceived of the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory. This multidisciplinary laboratory, which opened in 1997, features team-based, interactive learning. It changed the face of engineering education at CU-Boulder while providing a model for institutions nationwide. He also took a lead role in the Herbst Humanities Program, endowed by Clancy Herbst (ChemEngr’50, HonDocSci’95), after concluding that engineering students’ humanities education was unorganized and haphazard. In response, the Herbst program provides a broad education based on small‚Äìgroup discussions of classics and ethics.

David was the early leader in engineering computing for the college. His pioneering “Introduction to Engineering Computing” course, as well as the instructional computing laboratories, are still mainstays of the program.

Beyond engineering, David has been the faculty athletic representative since April 2005. He has been extremely dedicated in this role, whether attending a sporting event, being a member of countless athletic department committees or assisting in the recruitment and retention of student-athletes.

David is an exemplary teacher who connects with students in and outside of the classroom and has a true and long lasting impact on them. One alumnus described his attention to what he called the life cycle of the student, featuring David’s interactive classes, after-class assistance, pregraduation career coaching and postgraduation monitoring.

The University is proud to present the Robert L. Stearns Award to David E. Clough for his love of students and his commitment to CU.

George Norlin Award: Gary M. Jackson

While Gary was earning his bachelor’s in political science at CU, which he received in 1967, he was active in numerous student affairs and wrote a column for the Colorado Daily. He extended his activism regarding diversity issues while involved with CU’s Educational Opportunity Program as an adviser and mentor. His spirit of community service, formed so early, continued while he attended CU law school, from which he graduated in 1970.

Immediately out of law school Gary began working for the Denver District Attorney’s office, followed by the U.S. Attorney’s office and then the law firm of DiManna & Jackson, where he is today. During his legal career he has continued his commitment to public service, working tirelessly for many legal and community groups both at CU and beyond.

Among Gary’s most well-known accomplishments in Colorado’s legal community is helping found the Sam Cary Bar Association in 1971. The association is a self-help group designed to instill professionalism, serve as a vehicle for the exchange of ideas among African-American lawyers and support and guide law students. Recently the 200-plus member organization awarded him its Life Time Achievement award in recognition of continued exemplary service.

Gary has more than given his energy, enthusiasm and support for CU during the past four decades. He has been an adviser and mentor at the admissions office and the law school. He chaired the Law Alumni Board in the early 1990s, served on the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity and is currently on the Chancellor’s Diversity Advisory Board.

The University is proud to present the George Norlin Award to Gary M. Jackson for his distinguished legal career and his devotion to the betterment of society.

George Norlin Award: C. Dennis Maes

Dennis graduated from the CU School of Law in 1972 and immediately embarked on a career in law and public service. He first worked as an attorney for Pueblo County Legal Services and then as a deputy state public defender in Pueblo. After starting a private practice, he was nominated from a list of Who’s Who in the Legal Community to be the first Mexican-American appointed as district judge. He is currently chief district judge of the Tenth U.S. Judicial District. In 2004 he became the judicial district water judge with a large responsibility for the Arkansas River Valley.

Dennis has a passion for juvenile justice and has developed one of the most innovative truancy programs in the country. It requires juveniles and their parents to appear before him as often as twice weekly until the students have demonstrated improvement in specified areas. He appears to know everyone individually, and it’s obvious that his involvement is inspiring because of the positive reinforcement he provides.

Dennis also runs an innovative mentoring program called the Friday Court Study Hall that brings community people to his courtroom to study with underachieving high school students. Students are enriched by this valuable tool and people from all walks of life have benefited from the interactions they have with young people.

His extensive public service also extends to supporting many organizations. He is past president of the Pueblo Bar Association and is sitting or has sat on the boards of the East Side Child Care Center, the Dave and Lucille Packard Foundation, the El Pomar Southeast Regional Council and the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center. He is widely sought after by organizations because of the strengths and experience he offers.

The University is proud to present the George Norlin Award to C. Dennis Maes for his distinguished law career and his devotion to service.

George Norlin Award: Jerry D. McMorris

Jerry was a student entrepreneur long before the CU Leeds School of Business was acclaimed for its entrepreneurship program. In 1959, as a 19-year-old sophomore, he started a small trucking company than ran between Denver and Golden. It was both a big opportunity and a major challenge to run a company while in school, but it led, after he graduated in 1962, to a 40-year career as an entrepreneur in a variety of business pursuits.

Thirty-one years after he graduated, Jerry took over the role of chairman, president and CEO of the Colorado Rockies. According to Bud Selig, major league baseball commissioner, without Jerry’s efforts major league baseball may never have come to Colorado. To ensure baseball’s arrival here, Jerry turned to his Colorado network ‚Äì businesspeople he trusted and knew he could ask to make up the potential financial loss incurred by the new team. The Rockies set major league records for highest attendance during their first seven years.

Jerry passed on the reigns of Rockies club president in 2001 but continued his role as chairman. Eventually he stepped down altogether from ownership to pursue other interests.

Jerry has worked tirelessly to lobby state legislators on behalf of higher education. For his ongoing commitment to CU and the business school, he received the school’s Distinguished Service Award in 1994. Jerry also has also served on the board of the CU Foundation and been involved in numerous activities at the business school, including the visiting executive program.

Today, Jerry is chairman of the Western Stock Show executive committee, which he joined as a way to give back to the community. This year the show celebrated 102 years and has grown into one of the world’s premier showcases of the American West.

The University is proud to present the George Norlin Award to Jerry D. McMorris for his distinguished business career and his devotion to education.

George Norlin Award: Christopher M. Sorensen

Since graduating from CU in 1976 with a doctorate in physics, Chris has had an exemplary career in teaching and research at Kansas State University. He quickly rose through the ranks there and is now University Distinguished Professor.

Chris is recognized nationally and internationally as a consummate scholar, research scientist, teacher and mentor. As a researcher Chris works at the interface between physics, chemistry and engineering in the optics and dynamics of aerosols. He has made many contributions to the study of the properties of particles in flames. This area of study affects the creation and control of pollution. In this work he has garnered over $10 million in funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation. He was awarded the 2003 David Sinclair Award for his sustained excellence and lasting impact on aerosol science by the American Association for Aerosol Science.

Chris was named Professor of the Year in 2007 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. This is the most prestigious teaching award covering all disciplines at United States universities.

He also has won numerous awards for his excellent teaching at Kansas State. He has twice been recognized with the College of Arts and Sciences Stamey Teaching Award. He has won a Commercial Bank Undergraduate Teaching Award and the KSU Presidential Teaching Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Regarding outreach to the community, Chris developed a four-day summer program to introduce teenage girls to science called EXCITE. He regularly visits local high schools to lecture on science and has been recognized for this work with a Making a Difference Award by KSU Women in Science and Engineering.

The University is proud to present the George Norlin Award to Christopher M. Sorensen for his distinguished scientific career and his devotion to education.