#SalukiPride

The SIU Board of Trustees recently honored Khalid Meksem with the inaugural SIU System Inventor of the Year award. Meksem, a professor of genomics and genetics at SIU Carbondale, is an internationally recognized expert in the field of seed traits and nematodes resistance.

Jan Thompson, director and professor of the School of Journalism and a professor in the College of Arts and Media, was recently nominated for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy in the Outstanding Achievement for Special Event category for her directing of “La Hija de Rappaccini,” a livestream Chicago Opera Theater production performed April 24 at the Chicago Field Museum.

Whether planning events, helping to mold future lawyers or identifying issues and seeing they are addressed before they become problematic, Kristy White makes sure the SIU School of Law puts “their best foot forward” whether it is something for faculty, students or guests. Judi Ray, the law school’s assistant dean for administration, notes law school students often go to White for assistance because of her institutional knowledge about the law school. “We know that she will take care of making sure everything is completed in a timely manner but that she will take the time to ask for clarification if she needs it,” Ray said.

Karen Baertsch came to SIU Carbondale nearly two decades ago after first attending a conference on campus. That Baertsch enjoys working with faculty and students is evident, according to Shannon McCrocklin, an assistant professor in the linguistics department. In Baertsch’s year as department chair, McCrocklin notes Baertsch’s supportive demeanor and a change in the environment with a goal of “working toward productive solutions to problems.”

Tarnisha Green directs the Success in Engineering through Excellence in Diversity Program (SEED), supporting students in SIU’s College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics, especially those from underrepresented populations. Holly Tugiyanto, an account technician at SIU Extended Campus, nominated Green for Saluki Pride, saying “Tarnisha goes above and beyond to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to study STEM, and she supports them along their journey to make sure that they are successful. It is quite evident in her work that she truly cares about our students and about sending them off into a bright future in STEM.”

As the head of circulation services in Morris Library, Marissa Ellermann’s priority is ensuring that students, faculty and…

Coming into a new job in a different state in the middle of a pandemic isn’t easy, but it hasn’t stopped Lorelei Ritchie from meeting those challenges. Previously a judge with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Ritchie has also taught at law schools around the country, including UCLA School of Law, Florida State University College of Law and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Since joining the law school faculty at SIU in 2020, she has taught First-Year Contracts, and upper level Intellectual Property courses, published an article in the “American University Law Review,” and taken on the role as faculty adviser for students in the law school’s intellectual property specialization.