Pharmacy Faculty Earn School Awards

Recognition honors teaching, research achievements

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has presented awards to six members of its faculty recognizing excellence in their respective areas.

“This year’s award winners exemplify excellence in research, teaching and service in our school,” said Donna Strum, pharmacy school dean. “I commend them for their impactful contributions and commitment to advancing knowledge, innovating in the classroom and serving others.”

Erin Holmes, Department of Pharmacy Administration professor and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences research professor, received the 2023 Faculty Service Award. She is being recognized for her numerous contributions at the department, school and university level.

Holmes has been a member of the school and department’s faculty for more than 15 years. Besides serving on a host of committees, Holmes also serves as a teaching mentor for junior faculty, an academic advisor for early entry students and a tutor for students taking or retaking the MPJE exam.

She has directed 10 honors thesis projects and written nearly 50 recommendation letters for students across the university’s campus since 2022.

The Faculty Team Instructional Innovation Award was presented to Department of Pharmacy Practice professors Amanda Capino, Sally Earl and James Pitcock for their work on the Summer Bridge Program.

Prior to the implementation of the program, no formal initiatives existed to help students prepare for the transition between academic years. By providing a way for students to re-engage with content and review important topics prior to the start of a new semester, the program helps reduce the impact of the break on the retention of information.

Faculty members have noted overwhelmingly positive student feedback received about Capino, Earl and Pitcock and the confidence boost students have gained while tackling challenging topics in a low-stakes environment.

Strum presented the Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Research Award to Amar Chittiboyina, assistant director and a principal scientist with the National Center for Natural Products Research.

Chittiboyina was recognized for his high productivity in relation to grants and published work. In the past three years, he has published more than 50 papers in reputable journals. His expertise in medicinal chemistry and natural products has also helped to attract external funding for the NCNPR.
Vitor Pomin was presented with the School of Pharmacy’s New Investigator Research Award. Pomin is being honored for achieving exemplary research and scholarly productivity in his past three years as an assistant professor in the Department of BioMolecular Sciences.

In the past several years, Pomin has published 21 articles in high-impact journals, an impressive achievement for a new investigator who also participates in departmental teaching, service and service to his profession. He has also secured three external National Institutes of Health grants to support his research.

By Natalie Ehrhardt