The Murray State University Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2008 Distinguished Researcher Dr. Duane Bolin, MSU professor of history, and the 2008 Emerging Scholar Dr. Robin Zhang, MSU assistant professor of geoscience.

Bolin joined the MSU Department of History in 1996. Before coming to Murray State , he was an associate professor of history at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark., and assistant professor of history at the Madisonville Community College. In 2007, Bolin was awarded the Max G. Carman Outstanding Teacher Award by the MSU Student Government Association. In 2004 he received the MSU Board of Regents Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2005 he was awarded Outstanding Residential College Faculty Member at MSU. His other professional activities at MSU include serving as a faculty mentor with the People’s Education Press in the fall of 2005 and a Presidential Research Fellow from 2003-2004.

A native of Clinton , Ky. , Bolin received his bachelor of arts degree in history and education from Belmont University in 1978. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Kentucky in 1982 and 1988. His areas of research interest include American history, Gilded Age and Progressive Era, Kentucky history and American sports history.

A student and faculty favorite, Bolin is described by colleagues as “engaged, hard-working, well-rounded and accomplished,” and “willing to engage topics, consider approaches and seek resources that require an extra measure of intellectual fortitude.”

Bolin has published three books, Bossism and Reform in a Southern City : Lexington , Kentucky , 1880-1940 , Kentucky Baptists, 1925-2000 and An Abiding Faith : A Sesquicentennial History of Providence , Kentucky , 1840-1990 . Currently he is finishing a manuscript for his fourth book titled, Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Big-Time College Basketball in America . Considered a leader in the research and writing of sports history in Kentucky , Bolin has made several keynote addresses on his research of Adolph Rupp, including “In Search of Adolph Rupp,” at the Ohio Valley History Conference Luncheon in October of 2005.

Bolin has published numerous research articles and book reviews for the University Press of Kentucky and Register of the Kentucky Historical Society and other scholarly journals. Since 2005, he has written a weekly newspaper column for the Murray Ledger & Times , “Home and Away.” In a collection of essays honoring Bolin’s mentor, the late Dr. Thomas D. Clark, Kentucky’s Historian Laureate, Bolin contributed a chapter titled “Inspirer” in Thomas D. Clark of Kentucky: An Uncommon Life in the Commonwealth .

Bolin says, "To receive Murray State's Distinguished Researcher Award inspires me to continue to research and write as I teach in the history department.  I have a dozen or so projects that I hope to complete before I die.  I remember the first research paper that I completed in high school, a paper on the Egyptian pharaoh, “Akhenaton: The Sun King.” I remember that the whole process was at once challenging and fulfilling. I have been researching and writing ever since that junior year project in my high school ancient history class, and I hope to continue in the years to come."

Bolin is a member of the editorial board of the University Press of Kentucky, a commentator on WKMS public radio and a faculty member of Regents College .

Zhang joined the MSU Department of Geosciences in 2003. Before coming to Murray State , she was an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada , a teaching and research assistant at the University of Western Ontario and a GIS analyst at the Chinese Academy of Urban Planning and Design in China .

Her honors include the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award from the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in 2003, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities from 2001-2002 and the Special University Scholarship from the University of Western Ontario from 1998-2001.

At Murray State, Zhang is a member of the Collegiate Curriculum Committee (CSET), Roads Scholar, faculty advisor to the Geoscience Club and from 2004-2006 served as a senator in the faculty senate.

A native of southwest China, Zhang received her bachelor of science degree in geography from Nanjing University in Nanjing, China in 1992, her master’s degree in geography from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1995 and her doctorate in geography from the University of Western Ontario in 2002. Her areas of research interest include remote sensing and GIS applications in land use and land cover change, landscape ecology, urban community development and resource management and information extraction from remotely sensed data. These research areas benefit the understanding of environments at risk and the rational use of limited resources.

A diligent researcher and teacher, Zhang is described by colleagues as “a rare scientist who possesses unique skills and techniques critical for research.” Her competence in the classroom, willingness to serve the geoscience department and outstanding research record has earned her great respect from faculty and students.

Zhang has published six articles in six different refereed journals since arriving at MSU. She was lead author of three of those publications, and has recently submitted an article with another one in press. Zhang has also been invited to review articles for top scholarly journals and cited in many of them. She has made several conference presentations with collaborators from Canada, China, Japan and the United States.

Her most recent research projects include monitoring the expansion of Beijing , China and the management of the steppe grassland in the semi-arid regions of Inner Mongolia and mapping the landscape of the Patagonia region of Argentina. She is also researching the landscape change of the lower Kentucky Lake watershed.

Zhang says, “I am very honored to receive the Emerging Scholar award. Thanks to the Alumni Association for setting up the award to recognize junior faculty members for their accomplishments. I hope to continue to grow in my chosen career.”

Zhang’s professional memberships include the Association of American Geographers and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

Bolin and Zhang will each receive a $1,000 cash award and participate in the 2008 spring commencement ceremony. Their names will be added to the Distinguished Researcher and Emerging Scholar plaques located in the Easley Alumni Center and they will be recognized at the 2008 Senior Breakfast.