Venugopal Govindaraju, associate professor of computer science and engineering, has received the "Outstanding Young Investigator Award" from the International Conference on Document Analysis and Recognition, the largest international conference in the pattern-recognition field. The award, given to an investigator under the age of 40, recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of document analysis and recognition. Nominations require supporting letters from at least five active researchers from at least three different countries.

Peyman Givi, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and a classical guitarist, is serving as assistant director of the seventh annual Rantucci International Guitar Festival and Competition, being held today through Sunday at Canisius College.

Mark J. Lema, professor and interim chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, has been installed as president of the New York State Society of Anesthesiologists. As head of NYSSA, Lema leads a community of approximately 3,000 anesthesiologists in New York State, and works closely with the national Society of Anesthesiologists.

Reggie Witherspoon, head men's basketball coach, recently was honored by the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo for providing services to young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances. A Boys & Girls Club alumnus, Witherspoon has been active in the organization throughout his coaching career.

Ann Bisantz, assistant professor of industrial engineering, participated in the National Academy of Engineering's Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. The program, an annual three-day meeting held in Washington, provides an opportunity for outstanding engineers, early in their careers, to learn about cutting-edge developments in fields other than their own, thereby facilitating collaborative work and the transfer of new approaches and techniques across fields.

Saul Elkin, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and Vincent O'Neill, chair of the department, are featured in the Irish Classical Theatre Company's production of "The Weir." Elkin plays Jack and O'Neill, who also serves as co-founder and artistic director of the ICTC, plays Finbar in the production, which will run through Dec. 2.