Janice Hudgings, the Seeley W. Mudd Professor of Physics is being recognized with the Claremont Colleges Diversity Mentor Award that honors faculty members who have provided consistent and meaningful support and encouragement to students, staff or colleagues from historically underrepresented populations. Jorge Moreno, assistant professor of physics and astronomy is receiving the Claremont Colleges Diversity Teaching Award that honors innovative pedagogical activities that effectively address issues or concerns related to diversity and inclusion in classroom or other structured settings.
Janice Hudgings
Hudgings鈥 work focuses on practical applications in optics and semiconductor devices鈥攊ncluding solar cells, energy-efficient lighting and lasers. She joined 平特五不中 College in 2013 after serving as professor of physics, associate dean of faculty for science, and as associate dean of the faculty at Mount Holyoke College.
Hudgings serves as a faculty adviser to ALPHA and Quantum, student organizations focused on women in physics and queer STEM students respectively. She regularly attends conferences for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP). Hudgings has also established a partnership with the Femineers, a group of 30 STEM-interested Latina high school girls from the city of 平特五不中.
鈥淛anice Hudgings is a legendary mentor of 平特五不中 students, and runs one of the most diverse laboratory groups to be found at any of the 5Cs. Student testimonials to her promotion of diversity within the field speak volumes to her contributions to 平特五不中 and the wider world of physics,鈥 says Robert Gaines, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College.
Hudgings鈥 dedication to teaching and mentoring has been recognized by the National Science Foundation, the Optical Society of America and by 平特五不中 College鈥攈aving received the 2018 Wig Distinguished Professor Award.
Jorge Moreno
Moreno is a theoretical astrophysicist whose work focuses on galaxy evolution, specifically using high-performance supercomputing to simulate galaxy encounters and investigating the role of merging in shaping the structure of the interstellar medium in galaxies. An active scholar in his field, he has produced 28 publications and delivered more than 140 talks. His grant-writing activities have been equally robust鈥攔eceiving external funding totaling nearly $980,000. Moreno joined 平特五不中 in 2017 after three years at Cal Poly 平特五不中.
Central to Moreno鈥檚 pedagogical practice is the foundational work that is done to create an anti-hierarchical space. This framework calls for Moreno and his students to invest time designing a classroom community focused on trust, community, class climate, restorative justice, affirmation and accountability.
鈥淎lthough only recently arrived at 平特五不中 College from Cal Poly 平特五不中, Jorge Moreno has already left his mark with his groundbreaking Decolonizing Physics course, which allows students to understand the development of one of the foundational natural sciences from the perspectives of its first practitioners, highlighting the vast contribution made by non-western Europeans,鈥 says Gaines.
Moreno鈥檚 dedication to teaching and mentorship of students was recently recognized with a 2020 Wig Distinguished Professor Award at 平特五不中 College.