Daniel C. Ralph, assistant professor of physics, has been named the winner of the University of Illinois' 1997 William L. McMillan Award for "fundamental contributions to the development and application of experimental techniques for studying nanoscale structures." Ralph is scheduled to receive the award and deliver the McMillan Lecture Nov. 6 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on the topic "Interacting Electrons in a Box: Measurements of Electronic Energy Levels Inside Single Metal Particles." Illinois gives the McMillan Award each year for "outstanding contributions in condensed matter physics within four years of receipt of the Ph.D." Ralph earned his Ph.D. in physics in 1993 and, after a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, joined the Cornell faculty in 1996.
Dale Riggs, area vegetable specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension in the Capital District of Albany, received the National Corp. Production Award at the national Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA) Professional Improvement Conference in July. The award, sponsored by Novartis Corporation, based in Sweden, recognizes an NACAA member who has developed and carried out an outstanding extension educational program in crop production. Riggs won her award for her comprehensive education and applied research in pumpkin production. Riggs is just the second agent from New York to win this award. Riggs also was a winner in the national AT&T Communications awards, receiving an award for her slide set entry.
Marc Thorne '97, of Clifton Park, N.Y., a former standout for the Cornell men's soccer team, was recently awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for study at the university or professional school of his choice. Thorne, who was a GTE Academic All-America Fall/Winter At-Large University Division first team selection in April, earned his bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on May 25. He is the 11th Cornellian to earn an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. The list includes such names as Ken Dryden (1969), Mark Fergeson (1993), Derrick Harmon (1984), and, most recently, Ginny Ryan (1995).