EAST LANSING, Mich. — A faculty member who works closely with the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development was the winner of MSU’s prestigious international award named in honor of Ralph Smuckler, a former dean of International Studies and programs and professor emeritus, at the 20th annual International Studies and Programs awards ceremony held on March 24. Karim Maredia joined 10 other honorees which included faculty members, students, staff, and MSU alumni and community members. “We are proud to recognize the achievements of the greater MSU team who have helped to make MSU a university of distinction and whose involvements have enriched the campus, the state of Michigan and the world,” said Jeffrey Riedinger, dean of International Studies and Programs at MSU. Other individual award recipients: • Karim Maredia, who received the Ralph H. Smuckler Award for Advancing International Studies and Programs. Throughout his more than twenty-year tenure Maredia has worked to exchange knowledge and ideas on a global scale. His research work spans several continents and includes teaching international training programs and short courses to international scien¬tists, policy makers and administrators. With $10.5 million in grant support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Maredia is now assisting with biotechnology decision-making among African regulators • Volodymyr Tarabara, who received the John K. Hudzik Emerging Leader in Advancing International Studies and Programs Award. As an assistant professor with MSU’s College of Engineering, Dr. Tarabara developed a study abroad program in Eastern Europe and co-organized and recently chaired the first ever “Inter¬national Collaborations in Environmental Research and Education” forum. Additionally He has helped secure funding for 11 projects, totaling more than $5 million. And he was instrumental in landing a multi-million dollar NSF grant for membrane nanotechnologies research at MSU. The award carries a $1,000 prize to further the recipient’s work, thanks to an endowment established by Dr. John Hudzik and his wife Anne. • Nils Joseph Kauffman, who is the recipient of the Gill-Chin Lim Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Global Studies. His dissertation, Empty Pedestals: Creating a National School System in an Era of Glo¬balization, offers a complex analysis of the education system in Moldova from the end of the Soviet Union through independence to the present. Dr. Kauffman’s work demonstrated a skill to dissect and comprehend the difficult problems facing education throughout the world. He captured aspirations with implications not only for Moldova, but also for educational systems in other parts of the world. • Surinder Kuma Choudhari, who received the Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award. Shortly after receiving his engineering degree with honors from Michigan State in 1962, Surinder returned home to India and founded an engineering business. While building his business he maintained an international focus, collaborating with a German company to pioneer suspension seating in India. Today, Surinder’s company includes nine manufacturing sites and provides more than 1,000 jobs. • Anna Norris, who received the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Study Abroad. She is an associate professor of French and acting department chair for French, Classics and Italian. Norris has served for the last eight summers as the program leader for the French Language and Literature program in Tours, France, offered in cooperation with the Institut d’Etudes Françaises de Touraine. Additionally, she has completely redesigned the French program offerings, which has increased opportunities for cultural exchange and made it possible for MSU to adapt programming for current events and issues in France and Europe. • Sharin Kambin Timms is the recipient of the Glen L. Taggart Award for Community Contribution to International Understanding. As the director of the Refugee Develop¬ment Center (RDC) in Lansing, Timms coordinates 350 volunteers who help with tutoring, mentoring, driver’s training, life-skills and youth programs. She also serves the Lansing community by serving on boards with Capitol Area Red Cross and the Lansing Regional ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Alliance.

• Sam Singh is the recipient of the Charles A. Gliozzo International Award for Public Diplomacy. After serving as the Mayor of East Lansing, Sing began a trip around the world. He volunteered with Habitat for Humanity along the way, promoting community service and global coopera¬tion — values that have marked both his professional and personal life. Upon returning to the East Lansing, Sam hosted a series of public sessions for students and the Greater Lansing community, sharing his new insights of a global community.

• The Homer Higbee International Education Awards were also presented at the ceremony. These awards are presented annually to students and a member of Community Volunteers for International Programs for their acts of international service to MSU students and the greater community. This year’s recipients include: o Iris Horner, a retired public school o Dwi Yuliantoro, a doctoral student in the College of Education’s Curriculum, Teach and Education Policy program from Indonesia. o Onur Agirseven, a doctoral student in Mathematics from Turkey The International Awards Ceremony took place at the Spartan Club in Spartan Stadium at 3:30 p.m., with a presentation of the awards followed by a reception.