Medical School professor receives Diversity Service Award

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases R. Alex Blackwood, M.D., Ph.D., is one of seven University of Michigan faculty members to receive the 2016 Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award for their dedication to developing cultural and ethnic diversity at the U-M.

Established in 1996, the award is given by the Office of the Provost in honor of Harold Johnson, dean emeritus of the School of Social Work. The award provides $5,000 to recipients to further research, scholarship or student service opportunities.

Blackwood, who also serves as director of pathways in the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion in the Medical School, has demonstrated an ability to inspire mentees during more than 20 years on the U-M faculty. His mentees include 11 undergraduate students who have received American Heart Association of Michigan grants, and three who have been awarded Presidential Scholars Fellowships from the National Science Foundation.

The other campus recipients are:

• Omolola Eniola-Adefeso, Ph.D., College of Engineering (CoE)
• Arline T. Geronimus, Sc.D., Institute for Social Research and School of Public Health
• Robert Jagers, Ph.D., School of Education
• Nojin Kwak, Ph.D., College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)
• Jennifer Linderman, Ph.D., CoE
• Ruby Tapia, Ph.D., LSA