2000 Young Investigator Award
Nuclear chemist Sherry J. Yennello, an associate professor at Texas A&M University, received B.S. degrees in physics and chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Indiana University. Her thesis research and related work led to significant new information on nuclear reaction mechanisms. Her work relates directly to fundamental questions about the evolution of the universe, the nature of neutron stars and supernovae, the origins of heavy elements and the thermodynamic nature of nuclear matter. Yennello is the recipient of the GE Foundation Faculty for the Future Award, the National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award and the Felix Haurowitz Award for Excellence in Research. She has also been named a TAMU Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar. In the classroom, she has emphasized technology enhanced education with introduction of a computer assisted personalized assignment system for homework and the development of dynamic visualization modules to illustrate difficult concepts.