Two UNLV faculty members have been selected to receive Barrick Awards for the 1997-98 academic year.
Philosophy professor Maurice Finocchiaro will receive the Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award, which carries with it an unrestricted cash award of $5,000.
The Barrick Scholar Award will go to anthropology professor Alan Simmons. This award carries with it an unrestricted cash award of $2,000.
The professors were recommended for the awards by a faculty selection committee. Funding for the Barrick Awards is provided to UNLV by Las Vegas philanthropist Marjorie Barrick.
Finocchiaro specializes in the history and philosophy of science; logic; and continental philosophy. One of his areas of expertise is Galileo. He is the author of "Galileo and the Art of Reasoning: Rhetorical Foundations of Logic and Scientific Method." He translated and edited both "The Galileo Affair: A Documentary History" and "Galileo on the World Systems: A New Abridged Translation and Guide." A prolific researcher and writer, he has written numerous books and articles.
Finocchiaro, who has taught at UNLV since 1970, has won many awards during his academic career, including UNLV's William Morris Award for Excellence in Scholarship and a researcher's award from the Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada. In 1991 UNLV bestowed upon him the title of distinguished professor.
He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley, and his bachelor's degree in humanities and science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Simmons recently returned from Jordan, where he is involved in an excavation of the village of Ghwair I, which dates to the early Neolithic period of about 7500 B.C. Several UNLV students traveled to Jordan to participate in the project.
Simmons, who has taught at UNLV since 1993, has an extensive list of archaeological field experience, including excavations in Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and Canada. He also has been involved in archaeological projects in several areas of the western United States.
Among his professional interests are Near Eastern prehistory, particularly the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean; North American archaeology, particularly the Southwest and the Great Basin; and cultural resource management.
He earned both his Ph.D. and a master's degree from Southern Methodist University. He also earned a master's degree from the University of Toronto and a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. All of his degrees are in anthropology.
For additional information about the Barrick Awards, contact the provost's office at 895-3301.
