MARY CATHERINE MANCINI
Mary Mancini received her B.S. Degree in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh in 1974, Phi Beta Kappa, and entered the Medical School that September. She did her internship and residency in general surgery followed by further training in cardiothoracic surgery, all at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. While in medical school she convinced the administration, after a battle, to allow her to do a medical round at Albert Einstein in New York where they had a special program in nephrology. While there she wrote two papers, including an early paper on brain death. This little story illustrates two facets of Dr. Mancini, brilliance and toughness. She needed the latter as she blazed a trail for women in surgery and particularly heart surgery. An unnamed faculty member even told her directly that he was going to make her quit, only because she was a woman. He failed and she has had a stellar career. She is currently Professor of Surgery, Chief of Cardiothoracic surgery, and Director of Cardiothoracic Transplantation at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. As of several years ago she was one of five female heart transplant surgeons in the U. S. She has over 40 peer reviewed articles, is author or coauthor of several books, has contributed numerous book chapters, and has given many invited lectures. She has been on a number of government advisory committees and has been active in professional organizations. She is currently managing editor for the Vascular Surgery portion of the eMedicine textbook, and editor-in-chief of the Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantation section of that text. She most recently completed a Ph.D. in Cellular Biology and is spending more time doing basic research—receiving major funding from the NIH.

MUTTAIYA SUNDARALINGAM
Muttaiya Sundaralingam, a native of Malaysia, took his Ph.D. in the Chemistry Department, University of Pittsburgh, in 1961. After a Postdoctoral stint in the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, he was appointed Research Instructor, Department of Biological Structure of the same School. He then held the following positions: Research Associate in Molecular Biology, Children's Cancer Research Foundation, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston and Research Associate in Biophysics (Honorary), Harvard University Medical School, Boston, MA., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, Visiting Professor, University of Sao Paulo, San Carlos, Brazil, Chairman, Biophysics Ph.D. Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Steenbock Professor of Biomolecular Structure, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, Professor and Director of Biological Crystallography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, Ohio Regent's Eminent Scholar; Professor, Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director, Biological Macromolecular Structure Center. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, a position from which he recently retired. Among his honors are a John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, Oxford, 1975-1976 and University of Pittsburgh Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award, 1986. He was among the top 300 of the 1,000 most cited scientists for work published from 1965-1978.

IRVING WENDER
Irving Wender received the Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 1950. Before his Ph.D., he served on the Manhattan Project. Afterwards, he had an illustrious career, first in fundamental, then in applied research, as Project Coordinator, then Research Director, and finally as Head, Chemistry Division, Pittsburgh Energy Research Center, U.S. Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior. Subsequently, he was Special Advisor to the Program Director, FE, DOE, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy (DOE), Washington, DC, Acting Director and Director, Office of Advanced Research and Technology Development, Special Executive Service, FE, DOE, Washington, DC. From 1981 to 1990, he was Research Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department and Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, and since 1994, Distinguished University Research Professor of Engineering. He has authored or co authored about 200 papers, 5 edited books and eleven patents. Among his numerous awards and honors are: the H.H. Storch Award of the American Chemical Society, Fuel Division for distinguished contributions to science and utilization of coal, 1964, Pittsburgh Award of the American Chemical Society, Pittsburgh Section, for outstanding contributions to chemistry, 1968, American Chemical Society Award in Petroleum Chemistry sponsored by the Lubrizol Corporation, March 1982, Pittsburgh Catalysis Society Award in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of catalysis, May 1982, and the Homer H. Lowry Award in Fossil Energy, given by the Secretary of Energy, November 1988 in recognition of advancing fossil energy technology through highly innovative research on catalytic conversion of syngas to fuels and chemicals, coal liquefaction and decisive guidance and inspirational leadership in shaping research programs in government, academia and industry.

Alumni Awards 2002 Photoalbum