Three from UB Named SUNY Distinguished Professors

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Three University at Buffalo faculty members have joined the ranks of distinguished professors appointed by the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees.

James B. Atleson, professor in the UB Law School, and Roger W. Mayne, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, have been named SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professors in recognition of outstanding teaching at the graduate, undergraduate and professionals levels.

Sebastian G. Ciancio, professor and chair of the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics in the School of Dental Medicine, has been named a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in recognition of extraordinary service to the community, region, state, nation or the world.

The rank of distinguished professor, the highest faculty rank in the SUNY system, is an order above full professorship and has three co-equal designations: distinguished professor, distinguished service professor and distinguished teaching professor.

James B. Atleson, who joined the UB law faculty in 1964, has taught courses including U.S and international labor law, law and the visual arts, collective bargaining and history of American labor law.

He pioneered a technique pairing off students in simulated cases to learn to resolve disputes out-of-court. Among these are labor contracts, insurance and property disputes.

Atleson authored "Values and Assumptions in American Labor Law" and "Labor Law and the Wartime State: The Continuing Impact of Labor Relations During World War II." He co-authored the first and second editions of "Collective Bargaining in Private Employment."

He has lectured extensively throughout the U.S. on issues related to labor law, served on numerous arbitration panels and is a member of professional organizations including the National Academy of Arbitrators and the American Arbitration Association.

Atelson received bachelor's and law degrees from The Ohio State University and a master's degree from Stanford Law School.

He lives in Eggertsville.

Roger W. Mayne, a leading voice in curriculum development, is noted for turning dense and difficult material into enthralling lectures.

Last year he received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching for consistently demonstrating superb teaching at the undergraduate, graduate or professional level.

His areas of research interest are systems, design optimization and mechanical design.

He joined the UB engineering faculty in 1970 after working as a development engineer with Eastman Kodak.

Mayne served as chair of UB's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from 1986-89 and again, from 1995-98.

Named Educator of the Year in 1992 by UB's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Student Association, he has been active in numerous committees at UB.

He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and has been a consultant to numerous companies, including Moog Inc., and General Electromechanical Corp. (GEMCO); the U.S. Postal Service, and the United Nations Development Program.

Mayne received a bachelor's degree from UB, a master's degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and a doctorate from Pennsylvania State University.

He lives in Williamsville.

A native of Jamestown, Sebastian G. Ciancio has been chair of the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics for more than 30 years.

He established the UB Center for Dental Studies to focus on university/industry partnerships in clinical dental research and founded the Chautauqua Dental Congress, a forum for continuing dental education in Western New York.

Founding editor of the American Dental Association's Guide to Dental Therapeutics, Ciancio has served in all of the major leadership positions of the American Academy of Periodontology and has been president of the academy's foundation. He has received numerous awards from the group, including the President's Award and the William J. Gies Award.

In addition, Ciancio has been chair of the dental division of the United States Pharmacopeia, establishing sections on dental considerations for drugs.

He earned bachelor's and dental degrees from UB.

He resides in Eggertsville.