9/26/97
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University Professor of Biological Sciences Robert Hikida became the 35th recipient of Ohio University's Distinguished Professor Award at the campus' annual Honors Convocation Saturday (Sept. 27) in the Convocation Center.
The award, whic h was established in 1959, recognizes scholarly accomplishment, professional reputation and contribution to the university. A lifetime designation, it provides one quarter of professional leave and the privilege of naming one student annually to receive a Distinguished Professor Scholarship.
An associate editor of journal The Anatomical Record since 1980, Hikida (Ha-kee da) is best known for his studies of the development, maintenance and regeneration of muscles, with particular emphasis on birds and humans. His research on muscle adaptation of people with sedentary lifestyles and Olympic athletes, marathon runners and elite power lifters has received international recognition.
"Dr. Hikida has provided dedication, knowledge, wisdom and countless hours of service to his profession, and most importantly, to his students," said Ohio University President Robert Glidden. "He is a dedicated scientist, a model teacher and a trusted administrator. He achieves a remarkable balance betwe en a heavy teaching load and extensive research."
Selected by a committee of distinguished professors, Hikida has been recognized for his large volume of research papers that continually are published in prestigious scientific journals. From his research on pigeon muscles to Antarctic snailfish, the results of his studies have been published in American Journal of Anatomy, Cell and Tissue Research, American Zoology and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
"It is really a g reat honor to get an award like this," said Hikida, whose research includes a NASA-sponsored study of training methods that might apply to space flight. "There's nothing special about what I do. This really is a surprise and I still think there are dozens of other professors out there who deserve this more than I."
Hikida came to Ohio University in 1969 after receiving his doctorate in cell biology from the University of Illinois and completing postdoctoral research at Columbia University. H e was promoted to professor in 1977. He formerly was associate chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences and has been a professor of anatomy at Ohio University's College of Osteopathic Medicine since 1991.
For the past six consecutive years, Hikida has been named "Outstanding First Year Basic Science Faculty" member at the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Other awards include Outstanding Graduate Professor in 1976, the Jeanette G. Grasselli Faculty Teaching Award in 1992, Outstandin g Faculty Member at the College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1993 and, more recently, Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1996.
Anatomy Professor Joseph Eastman, who nominated Hikida for the award, collected more than 20 letters of support from leading scientists around the world, including Dirk Pette, who is considered to be among the world's leading muscle biology experts.
"As documented by his impressive list of publications and lectures, as well as by the list of his students an d collaborators, he has founded a school of muscle biology" which has made the Department of Biological Sciences at Ohio University an internationally known address to scientists in the field," Pette noted.
Also among the letters of support was one from Alfred Maier, a professor of cell biology at the University of Alabama. "Dr. Hikida has produced a constant stream of quality publications on basic problems of muscle biology that have appeared in prestigious refereed journals. His publicat ion record indicates an active research program and I see no let up to his production," Maier wrote.