Colorado State University’s College of Natural Sciences will honor two professors with its highest academic honor as part of the spring 2019 Professor Laureate Awards celebration on April 30.

This year’s honorees are Mingzhong Wu, a professor in the Department of Physics, and Jennifer G. DeLuca, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The ceremony, open to the public, is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in the Lory Student Center Cherokee Park Ballroom. The event will include a lecture by Wu followed by a reception.

DeLuca will present her laureate lecture at the College of Natural Sciences Teaching & Mentoring Awards Ceremony this fall.

Wu’s laureate lecture, “Flow of Angular Momenta,” will explore electron spin – a phenomenon that many have experience when playing with spinning tops. Understanding this spin, which has often been overshadowed by studying its charge, has the potential to drive significant innovations in electronics.

Wu, who has been at CSU for 10-plus years, is a professor of physics and director of CSU’s Designated Center for Advanced Magnetics – a Program of Research and Scholarly Excellence.

DeLuca’s research focuses on the process of mitotic cell division, and her laboratory examines the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation. Her work addresses how aberrant cell division is linked to the initiation and progression of cancer and how mitotic proteins can be used as targets for cancer therapeutics.

The Professor Laureate Awards are given to dedicated faculty who have made outstanding contributions to the missions of research, teaching, mentoring and outreach.

The designation is intended to honor recipients and to provide the college with exceptional role models. The title is held for three years and includes an honorarium and two years of research funding.

2019 Professor Laureate Awards

Day: Tuesday, April 30

Time: 4:30 p.m. 

Location: Lory Student Center Cherokee Park Ballroom