School of Arts and Sciences 2005 Teaching Awards
April 2005
Dr. Rebecca W. Bushnell, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Dennis DeTurck, dean of the College, are pleased to announce the following recipients of the School’s 2005 teaching awards, to be presented on Monday, April 25 at an awards reception that is open to the University community. The reception will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Upper Egyptian Gallery of the University Museum.
Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching
The
School’s highest teaching honor is awarded to Paul
Sniegowski, associate professor of biology, who was praised
by faculty and students alike for his teaching in both large
introductory lecture courses and upper-level seminars. A
colleague observed that, “Paul is that rare teacher
some of us have had the great fortune to encounter and increasingly
recognize with hindsight the critical role they played in
our intellectual development.”
Created in 1983, the Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching recognizes teaching that is intellectually challenging and exceptionally coherent and honors faculty who embody high standards of integrity and fairness, have a strong commitment to learning, and are open to new ideas.
Dean's Award for Innovation in Teaching
This award, which
recognizes exceptional creativity and innovation in instruction,
goes to Charles Bernstein, the Donald T.
Regan Professor of English. A distinguished poet and critic,
Professor Bernstein receives high praise for his ability
to blend the creative and critical sides of literary study
in his courses. He is also highly regarded for his imaginative
use of technology in instruction, whether through class
blogs or the PennSound digital poetry archive that he co-created. “This
is the kind of teaching,” notes a fellow faculty
member, “that shakes you up and knocks you into a
new way of imagining yourself in the world.”
Dean's Award for Mentorship of Undergraduate Research
This award recognizes faculty members who have excelled
in nurturing students' desires and abilities to conduct meaningful
research. This year's award goes to Robert Giegengack,
the Davidson Kennedy Professor in the Department of Earth
and Environmental Science. As the architect of the undergraduate
environmental studies major, which requires a senior research
project, Professor Giegengack has supervised some 300 senior
theses during his career at Penn. Countless students attest
to the enormous academic and personal impact of these research
experiences; one writes, “I met Gieg with dreams
of becoming a scientist and I am leaving with the skills,
confidence, and dedication to succeed.”
Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Award for Distinguished Teaching by an Assistant Professor
This award recognizes a member of
the junior faculty who demonstrates unusual promise as an
educator. This year's
recipient is Josephine Park, an assistant professor of English.
In a broad range of courses from a survey of 20th century
literature to advanced seminars on Asian American literature
and film, Professor Park has inspired many students to become
English majors. One of them writes, “It is evident
that she loves the subject matter and that she loves teaching
it, which inevitably makes us love class.”
Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Affiliated Faculty
This award recognizes the contributions to undergraduate
education made by the School's non-standing faculty. This
year's recipient is Rebecca Stein, a senior
lecturer in economics and director of the Microeconomic Principles
Program. Her
courses in introductory microeconomics – a staple for
undergraduates across Penn – earn rave reviews from
her students, many of whom arrive intimidated by the subject
matter. A colleague observes that “students come out
of Dr. Stein’s class able to ‘think like an economist.’”
CGS Distinguished Teaching Award
This award honors outstanding
teaching and advising in the College of General Studies.
Two awards are being presented
this year:
Hocine Fetni is an adjunct assistant professor of sociology and an assistant dean for academic advising in the College. His courses on subjects such as law and society have a loyal following from students who make comments like “He combines a love of the material with a dry wit that helps to make him one of the most engaging professors on campus.” and “The course has changed my perception of the world.”
Andrew Lamas is a lecturer in urban studies who teaches
courses on urban development. A colleagues praises his talent
for engaging his students, noting that “he is never
satisfied unless everyone of his students is a full participant,” challenging
their own assumptions “and then reconstructing their
understanding to reflect their own unique insights.”
Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students
This award recognizes graduate students for teaching that
is intellectually rigorous, exceptionally coherent, and has
a considerable impact on undergraduate students. This year's
awards will go to:
Vance Byrd, German
Richard Collum, Biology
Alberta Ferrario, Religious Studies
Damien Keane, English
John Lessard, English
Sarah Mason, Mathematics
James Mesbur, Linguistics
Helen Murphy, Biology
Jennifer Strong, Mathematics
Kahlil Williams, Political Science