[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 77 (Thursday, May 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING DR. ZUHAIR MUNIR OF DAVIS, CALIFORNIA RECIPIENT OF THE UC 
    DAVIS PRIZE FOR UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING AND SCHOLARLY ACHIEVEMENT

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2007

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Dr. Zuhair Munir, the 2007 recipient of the UC Davis Prize for 
Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement. This prize has been 
awarded annually since 1986 to recognize scholars who are successful 
not just in their research, but convey their excitement and love of 
scholarship to students at the university. Dr. Munir has been a leader 
in the field of materials science for many years, conducting research 
in areas which have yielded remarkable technological advances, but his 
hallmark at UC Davis has always been as a professor who cares deeply 
for students throughout their studies.
  Dr. Munir was born in Baghdad, Iraq and immigrated to the United 
States as a teenager. He earned 3 degrees from the University of 
California, Berkeley: his bachelor's degree in 1956, a masters in 1958 
and then his doctorate in 1963. He joined the professorial staff at UC 
Davis in 1972, and has worked there ever since. In 2000 he was 
appointed Dean of the College of Engineering and he served there until 
2002. In 2003, he was promoted to Distinguished Professor in the 
College.
  Throughout his career, Dr. Munir has worked on the cutting edge of 
materials science, working to understand the properties of various 
materials and the ways they can interact and transform under the right 
conditions. This has included work studying the effects of electrical 
fields on crystals, and as an innovator in the field of combustion 
synthesis.
  His proficiency as a professor and mentor have long distinguished Dr. 
Munir, and evaluations submitted by students consistently rave that he 
is among the best and most engaging of their professors. Throughout his 
career, he has made a point of encouraging students to venture beyond 
his lectures and come work in the laboratory so that they can gain a 
better perspective on the practice of science. By encouraging students 
to explore problems for themselves rather than simply providing the 
answers, Dr. Munir has inspired generations of students to pursue in-
depth study of materials science and chemical engineering, and pursue 
work in related fields.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, it is appropriate at this time that we 
thank Dr. Munir for his years of exemplary work as a scholar and 
educator, and congratulate him on receiving this award. His commitment 
to educating young students has been unwavering, and he deserves our 
thanks.

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