Honor society welcomes UMMC faculty, students; anesthesiology chair takes national organization's post

Phi Kappa Alpha inducts UMMC reps from five schools

About three dozen faculty members and students were initiated Oct. 17 into Phi Kappa Phi, the collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence.

The initiates are members of the Phi Kappa Chapter of the University of Mississippi, including faculty and students at UMMC. The nationwide honor society accepts more than 30,000 members each year on 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines.

More than 1.5 million members have joined since its founding in 1897 at the University of Maine. It is described as “a global network of the best and brightest, a community of scholars and professionals building an enduring legacy for all generations.”

For campuses with chapters, membership is by invitation to the top 7.5 percent of juniors with at least 72 credit hours and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have demonstrated scholarly achievement are eligible for membership also.

Phi Kappa Phi initiates from the School of Dentistry include, seated from left, Danna Nobile; Mary Catherine Reynolds; and Stephanie Johnson, and standing from left, Kyle Winston Tubb; Dr. Scott Gatewood, associate dean for academic affairs; and Charles Huffman.

Phi Kappa Phi initiates from the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences include, seated from left, Katherine Rigdon; Carolann Risley; and Olivia Kristell Travis, and standing from left, Dr. Tony Ammeter, University of Mississippi Phi Kappa Phi Chapter president; Jared Scott Cobb; Dr. Joey Granger, SGSHS dean; and Dr. Ralph Didlake, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Phi Kappa Phi initiates from the School of Health Related Professions include, seated from left, Shelby Wilkerson; Mary Morgan Prince; Amira Esmaeil; Katie Boyles; Aurlivia Deshay Bibbs; and Kristen Leigh Martin, and standing from left, Dr. Tony Ammeter, University of Mississippi Phi Kappa Phi Chapter president; Dr. Jessica Bailey, SHRP dean; Deven Hicks; Megan Ladner; Justin Van Laster; Marty Jacob Brock; Devan Richardson; Rebeca Torres Dendy; Nina Nguyen; and Dr. Ralph Didlake, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Phi Kappa Phi initiates from the School of Medicine include, seated from left, Dr. Loretta Jackson-Williams, vice dean for the School of Medicine; Anna Bryant; Laura Mitchell Martin; Resham Rahat; and Courtney Mullins, and standing from left, Dr. Tony Ammeter, University of Mississippi Phi Kappa Phi Chapter president; Muzamil Ahmed Khawaja; Caleb Scott Martin; Jacob Allen Smithey; Kane Ethan Edward; Benjamin Paul Stevens; John Martin Waddell; and Dr. Ralph Didlake, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Phi Kappa Phi initiates from the School of Nursing include, seated from left, Jordan Danielle Kimball; Elizabeth Grayson Pickett; Kelli Marie Findley Foster; Mary Katelyn Armstrong; Haley Stegall Hille; Caroline Elise Reichel; and Trinity Chrishanna Brown, and standing from left, Dr. Tony Ammeter, University of Mississippi Phi Kappa Phi Chapter president; Charmaine Ardell Kelly; Lauren Danielle Harbin; Mary Rose Thomas; Dr. Kim Hoover, SON dean; Anne Elise Green; Adriana Lyn Jenkins; Sallie Evans Dalton; Rebecca Kay Johnson; Kimberly DeAnn Kelley; Xiaoming Xie Hester; and Dr. Ralph Didlake associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

National group taps anesthesiology chair for special post

Dr. Douglas Bacon, professor and chair of anesthesiology, has been elected secretary-treasurer of the national Association of Academic Anesthesiology Chairs.

A graduate of the State University of New York-Buffalo, Bacon received his medical degree from the State University of New York-Stony Brook and completed a residency in anesthesiology at the SUNY-Buffalo affiliated hospitals. After residency, he became a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology. While working full-time as an anesthesiologist at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, he completed his master of arts in history at SUNY-Buffalo.

He has practiced in a variety of academic settings during his 30-year career, coming to UMMC in 2014 as professor and chair of anesthesiology. His research areas of interest focus on the organization and history of anesthesiology in the first half of the 20th century.

Bacon is a council member and chair of the publications committee for the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists and served eight years as editor of the American Society of Anesthesiology’s newsletter. He also is secretary of the Academy of Anesthesiology.

The AAAC is an arm of the Society of Academic Associations of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. It promotes academic anesthesiology and the enhancement of research and scholarship.