Four Idaho State University faculty members named Outstanding Public Service Award Recipients

Four Idaho State University faculty have received 2012 Outstanding Public Service Awards and will be honored at a reception on April 12. One will receive the 2012 ISU Distinguished Public Service Award to be announced at the reception.

Receiving 2012 Outstanding Public Service Awards are Linda DeVeaux, associate professor of biological sciences; Jared Papa, service learning coordinator/clinical assistant professor, physician assistant studies, ISU-Meridian; Eugene Stuffle, professor of electrical engineering; and Robert Tokle, professor of economics.

Linda DeVeaux is an associate professor of cell biology. She earned a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Virginia. As a postdoctoral researcher she identified the rec8 gene in fission yeast, which has proven to be extremely important in the study of recombination and the cell cycle. Her research at ISU focuses on the effects of radiation in unicellular organisms as well as microbial stress responses.

DeVeaux has organized several conferences, and served on the technical program committee of the Eighth International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Applications and Utilization of Accelerators in 2007.

Two years ago, DeVeaux helped create a Ph.D. program in microbiology. She has chaired the Microbiology Graduate Programs Committee since its inception.

DeVeaux has volunteered at local elementary schools for more than five years, and organizes the Idaho Science and Engineering Festival each year. This one-day festival is a satellite festival of a national, month-long festival, which culminates in a two-day Expo on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

Jared Papa is a clinical assistant professor in the Physician Assistant program, teaching and working at Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center.

He joined the faculty in 2008, after working as a National Health Service Corps Scholar in rural Washington at a health clinic that served primarily Spanish-speaking clients.  

Papa's dedication to service in the community is evident in a recent humanitarian expedition to Peru. Papa and a group of students and faculty members traveled to Peru with Operation Condor to provide much-needed care for underserved populations.

Papa is the Physician Assistant program representative to the Idaho Academy of Physician Assistants. As service learning coordinator for the department, he has organized and coordinated dozens of community health screenings in the Treasure Valley. He has also dedicated his time to various free community clinics in the Boise area.

Papa and former faculty member Cynthia Bunde recently received a grant from the ISU Cultural Affairs Council to bring a speaker to campus to discuss traditional Mexican medicine.

Gene Stuffle, professor in the College of Science and Engineering, has worked at Idaho State University for 22 years. He has served as interim chair of electrical engineering, associate dean for undergraduate studies and interim chair of computer science during his time at the University.

Stuffle has authored more than 50 publications in the areas of computer-aided education and circuits and systems. He holds Professional Engineering Licensure in Idaho, Indiana and Michigan. He is currently serving as executive director of the Eastern Idaho Engineering Council, and has served as the ISU Student Branch organizer since its beginning in 1996. He serves as the executive director of the Idaho Academy of Science, and representative to the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. Stuffle is chair of the Idaho Council of Engineering Educators.

Stuffle's community volunteer work includes extensive support of the MATHCOUNTS program and of National Engineer’s Week.

Robert Tokle joined ISU as an assistant professor in economics in 1986 and has spent his entire faculty career here. His research specialties include the economics of advertising, and the effects of credit unions on the behavior of banking institutions.

He has published more than 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals, numerous articles in other business publications, and has presented his research at national conferences. The national, public policy impact of Tokle's work is evident in its citation in testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means in matters related to credit unions.

Tokle has been a member of the Idaho State University Federal Credit Union Board of Directors for nearly 20 years, serving as chair for the past 15 years. On his watch Idaho State University Credit Union's assets have increased from $15 million to more than $100 million and membership has grown nearly threefold to more than 15,000.

Tokle has also served on the advisory board for the ISU Center for Economic Education for 23 years. The ISU Center for Economic Education helps elementary and secondary teachers deliver economic education to their students.

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