Saif Mehkari, professor of economics, has been awarded the 2025 Harris Award for Excellence in Instructional Technology from the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.
MotivateMe, UR’s Incentive program for full-time employees through Cigna, will end on Dec. 31 and transition to Anthem’s Smart Rewards on Jan. 1, 2026. Full-time employees will have 90 days after Dec. 31 to claim any outstanding gift cards.
Employees age 50 or older, can make extra “catch-up” contributions to their retirement plans. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, catch-up contributions for employees earning more than $145,000 in wages (Box 3 on the 2025 W-2) must be made as Roth (after-tax) contributions under new IRS rules.
Employees earning more than $145,000 in 2025:
Employees earning $145,000 or less:
Schedule a one-on-one retirement counseling appointment right here on campus. The University's TIAA representative, Richard Carroll, can help you create a plan for your goals.
Call 1-800-732-8353 or go to www.tiaa.org/schedule to schedule your 1-hour session.
Monday, October 27 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Gottwald Science Center, Study Room E302
Wednesday, November 5 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Gottwald Science Center, Study Room E302
Tuesday, November 18 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Gottwald Science Center, Study Room E302
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—The Princeton Review (2024)Michael C. Leopold, professor and Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Chair of Chemistry, was awarded an Undergraduate Research Grant from the American Chemical Society.
David Wilkins, professor of leadership studies, was invited to speak at Houghton University's Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium, which focused on Native rights this year. He presented "Indigenous Nations and the US: A 'Peculiar' Relationship" on Nov. 6.
Kathryn Jacobsen, William E. Cooper Distinguished University Chair and professor of health studies, is the lead author of "An updated definition of global health," published in Global Heath Research and Policy.
Alexander T. Englert, assistant professor of philosophy, published “Building a stable ‘abode of thought’: Kant’s rules for virtuous thinking” in The Conversation.
Sydney Watts, associate professor of history and gender & sexuality studies presented a paper on the transatlantic migration of the Dupont household (1797-1830) at the "Stay or Leave: Family Survival Tactics during the Age of Emigrations, 1770-1830s" workshop at Goethe University.
Kathryn Jacobsen, William E. Cooper Distinguished University Chair and professor of health studies, published three Global Burden of Disease papers in The Lancet, one on demographics, one on mortality, and one on the epidemiology of nonfatal health conditions.
Kitty Maynard, Faculty Hub director, co-edited Transformative Coaching for Faculty and Staff in Higher Education: Powerful Tools to Address Institutional Challenges (Routledge). Maynard co-authored the chapter “Getting Started: Putting Coaching into Practice as Educational Developers.”
Lauren Anesta, media relations manager, presented at The Conversation’s member conference, Oct. 26–28, in Boston. Anesta served as a panelist for the session “Marketing your membership on campus,” which featured communicators speaking on strategies for recruiting scholars and generating buy-in amongst leadership.
Jeremy Hoffman, adjunct lecturer of health studies, was selected as a 2025 honoree for the de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health. The program is the first of its kind to recognize and elevate leaders changing the face of public health in creative and innovative ways.
Eric Lee, gardener team leader, plants tulips in Gumenick Quadrangle — part of the 17,000 bulbs that will bring color to campus in the spring.
Director of Sustainability Rob Andrejewski is quoted in this feature highlighting UR as a certified Bee Campus.
Damon Yarnell, associate provost and executive director of career development, is quoted.
Biology professor Jonathan Richardson authored this piece.
Psychology professor Janelle Peifer, an expert on parasocial relationships, is quoted.
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