PRESS RELEASE
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff str.
Northridge, CA 91330
Tel: 818-677-2565
Email: [email protected]
Webs:
California State University, Northridge chemistry professor Gagik
Melikyan is the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim inspirational Teacher
Award recipient. The annual Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim
Inspirational Teacher Awards publicly recognize specific educators by
spotlighting their impact on the lives of students. The awards
celebrate the teaching profession, the important role of teachers in
society and seeks to inspire others to pursue this profession.`To be a
teacher is the most exciting, most demanding and most rewarding
profession,’ said Melikyan. `I enjoy challenging my students, making
them believe in themselves, creating life-changing opportunities and
putting them on the path to a prosperous future. Every new day is as
exciting as the first day on the job as an educator.’ `I have known
Gagik for close to 10 years as dean of the college,’ said Dean of
Science and Math, Jerry Stinner. `I have tremendous respect for Gagik
and consider him to be one of the finest scholars and mentors in the
college. He is a first-rate scientist, with a remarkable publication
record, and is incredibly dedicated to training students in his
laboratory.’
Nominated by students they once taught, the award recipients reflect
the power one teacher has to inspire others and transform lives,
according to Kennedy Center officials.
Melikyan was nominated by Christopher Wild, a student who earned his
B.S. and M.S. degrees from CSUN, and is currently a Ph.D. student at
the University of Texas Galveston. `He is one of those students who
will make CSUN proud as their alma mater,’ said Melikyan of
Wild.`Dr. Melikyan is my professional role model and was the
catalyzing figure of my academic and professional development while at
CSUN,’ Wild said. `He continues to play a prominent role to this
day.’Wild noted that Melikyan’s `high level of knowledge is apparent
just after one lecture. He demands excellence while being very
fair. In his research lab, Dr. Melikyan trained me himself. As an
incoming Ph.D. student in medicinal chemistry, I was able to hit the
ground running. I was so well trained that I was immediately able to
conduct research independently.’Another one of Melikyan’s colleagues,
Steve Oppenheimer, a biology professor at CSUN, noted Melikyan’s
talents when he said, `Gagik is a fantastic teacher, research
scientist and author. His enthusiasm and clarity in the classroom are
distinguished. His award-winning book on exposing problems with
hundreds of thousands of chemicals (*Guilty Until Proven Innocent*),
is a truly important contribution to public health and welfare. It is
a classic and should be read by everyone.’Melikyan is quick to point
out that CSUN has been one of the main reasons for his success.
`Over the last two decades, CSUN has provided such a large amount of
support, encouragement, understanding and appreciation that I could
hardly receive in any other setting,’ said Melikyan. `And the current
accomplishments, both in the classroom and research laboratory, could
not be possible without continuous assistance and help provided by the
university, college and departmental levels.’
On the award, Melikyan said `of course, it is a great honor coming
from such a reputable institution. I consider it to be an appreciation
of my decades-long commitment to provide quality professional training
to my students, both in the classroom and most importantly in the
research laboratory.’
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards were
created in 2010 in honor of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday and were
initiated and funded through the generous support of Freddie and Myrna
Gershon.
On March 22, Stephen Sondheim’s birthday, a select number of these
teachers received The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational
Teacher Award, and a money grant in appreciation for their
contributions to the field of teaching. Awardees will also be
showcased, along with the people they inspired, on The Kennedy
Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards website.
`The award will support my quest to educate the general public on
health-related issues, as well as ongoing professional activities as
an educator, writer and public advocate,’ said Melikyan.
Wild knows first hand the importance of that education. `The greatest
lessons he taught me, was that to be successful you must have
confidence. And confidence comes from preparation which requires hard
work.’
To find out more about CSUN’s chemistry and biochemistry department,
please visit the website at
And to
find out more about the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational
Teacher Awards, please visit
.
If you need to get in touch with Prof. Melikian this is his contact
Tel#. Gagik G. Melikyan, Ph.D., D.Sc.Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff str.
Northridge, CA 91330
tel off 818-677-2565
email [email protected]
book website:
research website:
public advocacy:
From: Baghdasarian