Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor Ching-Hua Wang has received the 2012 Edward M. McAleer Jr. Excellence and Innovation Award. The award is given each year to one highly regarded CSU employee from the system’s 23 campuses who has demonstrated a consistent and significant pattern of innovation and excellence in support of the work of the CSU Extended University.

The award, named after the late Dr. Edward M. McAleer Jr., former statewide dean of the CSU Extended University, carries a $1,000 honorarium, a letter of recognition from the Chair of the CSU Commission on the Extended University, recognition on the Commission website, and a personalized plaque. Wang is the fifth recipient of the award since its inception in 2008.

“I am honored by this award,” said Wang, a Professor of Immunology and Microbiology at CI. “The students drive me to work hard and passionately because they represent the future of our country. It makes me proud to see students’ lives transformed through the education they have received at CSU Channel Islands.”

Wang’s influence as one of CI’s first faculty members can be seen and felt throughout the campus today. She worked effectively with fellow faculty members and created and developed many of the University’s programs in science and health science, including bachelor’s degrees in biology, environmental science and resource management, nursing, and health science, and graduate programs in biotechnology and bioinformatics, as well as a dual M.S. in Biotechnology/MBA degree.

Through Wang’s and program faculty's efforts, CI has become nationally regarded in the fields of biotechnology and bioinformatics. In 2005, she launched the M.S. in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Program and later the M.S. in Biotechnology/MBA Dual Degree Program – the first of its kind within the CSU system. As Director of both programs, Wang has forged strong partnerships between the University and the biotechnology industry, enlisting biotech industry professionals and faculty to provide students with top-notch instruction, internship and research opportunities. Of the two programs’ more than 140 graduates, nearly 100 percent have entered the biotech workforce or have advanced to graduate or professional schools. The programs have also generated more than $7 million in revenues for the University.

Wang has raised more than $14 million in grant funding to support academic programs, student research and scholarships. She oversees two grants awarded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine that fund year-long stem cell research projects at world-renowned institutions.

“Dr. Wang exhibits the kind of creativity that allows us to educate our students for their future, not our past,” said CI President Richard R. Rush. “She is a committed educator and an exceptional leader, effectively undertaking a demanding role over many years. She is truly a person of remarkable foresight and leadership. Clearly, Dr. Wang makes a difference.”

Wang began her career in the CSU system in 1990. She holds an M.D. from Beijing Medical College, an M.S. from Beijing University, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.

For more information on the Edward M. McAleer Jr. Excellence and Innovation Award, visit http://www.gateway.calstate.edu/ceu/awards.htm.

For additional information about CI’s programs contact Dr. Ching-Hua Wang at 805-437-8870 or ching-hua.wang@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research.