Saint Vincent College recently honored Dr. Michael E. Rhodes, assistant professor of biology in the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing, with the 2008 Quentin Schaut Faculty Award. The award is named in honor of Fr. Quentin Schaut, O.S.B., a professor of English and seventh president of the College, and in recognition of the contributions, leadership and achievements of a junior faculty member to the curriculum and life of Saint Vincent.

Dr. Rhodes, a Greensburg area native, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Saint Vincent College in 1993. He earned a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in pharmacology-toxicology in 1995 and 1997, respectively, from Duquesne University. Dr. Rhodes conducted post-doctoral research and was a research assistant professor at the Center for Neurosciences Research at the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He also was an assistant professor of pharmacology at Duquesne University and Carlow University before joining the Saint Vincent College faculty in 2005.

At Saint Vincent, Dr. Rhodes teaches a variety of courses in biology for both undergraduate majors and non-majors and he teaches a graduate course in pharmacology. In addition, he supervises many senior research projects each year.

Dr. Rhodes is also an accomplished researcher himself. Last year he published two peer-reviewed articles with undergraduates, sponsored many student research presentations at national conferences, and wrote an article for the Encyclopedia of Stress. He collaborates on research programs not only with students, but also with colleagues including Dr. Jennifer Koehl, in biology, and Dr. Mark Rivardo, in psychology. In addition, Dr. Rhodes has supported his research with funding from the National Institutes of Health and has received numerous travel awards to present the results of his research at international conferences.

Dr. Rhodes and his wife, Lee Ann, a 1994 Saint Vincent graduate, have two children, Katie, 6, and Justin, 4. Dr. Rhodes is the son of Ed and Gloria Rhodes.

(Cutline: President Jim Towey (left) and Dr. Susan Sommers, Faculty Council President, (right) present Dr. Michael Rhodes with the 2008 Quentin Schaut Faculty Award.)

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