Biology professor receives state's highest honor for contributions to science

MIDDLEBURY, Vt.-Grace Ann Spatafora, the Irene Heinz and John LaPorte Given Distinguished Professor in the Premedical Sciences at Middlebury College, was elected to the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering this month.

Professor Spatafora, who joined the Middlebury faculty in 1992, has been at the forefront of studies using genetic and recombinant DNA approaches to understand the bacterial causes of plaque formations and dental cavities in humans.

Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz said Grace Spatafora’s “commitment to involving students in this research has elevated the profile of science at the College, while her careful mentorship has guided these students to careers in academia, medicine, and related fields.”

The Duke University graduate joins four other Middlebury faculty members in the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering: Professors Patricia Manley (geology), Sallie Sheldon (biology), Frank Winkler (physics), and Richard Wolfson (physics).

Professor Spatafora earned her master’s in biology at the University of Richmond and her Ph.D., also in biology, at St. Louis University. She is a member of Sigma Xi, the American Society for Microbiology, and the International Association for Dental Research. She also has been honored by the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review in Oral, Dental, and Craniofacial Sciences.

The Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering is chartered by the State of Vermont to honor scientists and engineers for their achievements and to promote science and engineering within the state. This year’s induction ceremony and annual meeting takes place at the University of Vermont on September 23.