The University Teaching Resource Center awarded fourteen faculty members teaching awards this week.
Biology Prof. Ignacio Provencio received the Cavalier Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award, which honors exceptional instructors of undergraduate students. Provencio has been on the University faculty since 2005.
"I think the function of a faculty member is not to provide content... but is more to facilitate students to develop their critical skills," Provencio said. "I think your undergrad years are a time when you're particularly open to questioning everything that's being presented to you so that's a good time to develop these skills."
Nine professors received All-University Teaching Awards, which emphasize excellence in teaching and come with $2,000 awards. The recipients were French Prof. Alison Levine, Philosophy Prof. Rebecca Stangl, Commerce Prof. Patrick Dennis, Media Studies Prof. Bruce Williams, Physics Prof. Peter Arnold, Chemistry Profs. Robert Burnett and Michael Palmer, Environmental Science Prof. Howard Epstein and obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Megan Bray.
Williams said he greatly values the University's liberal arts emphasis, which he said was not as apparent at other institutions where he taught, including Pennsylvania State University and the University of Illinois.
"For the first time in a long time I have students that remind me of me when I was an undergrad," Williams said. When he started teaching at the University he said he had "a lot of freedom to do things differently."
Williams said he doesn't know what he'll spend his $2,000 on yet but said he may use it to encourage undergraduate research.
A committee of past recipients chose this year's winners. The committee accepted nominations until Feb. 6 and made its selections late last month.
Nomination packages included letters from students and other faculty members.
Deirdre Davie, an administrative assistant in the Provost's office, said the awards are designed to reward outstanding teaching.
"We have some wonderful professors here," Davie said. "This is a great opportunity to highlight the incredible work they've done over the years."
Other teaching award recipients included Medical School Prof. Erik Hewlett, who received the Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, and German Prof. Laura Heins, who earned the Alumni Board of Trustees Teaching Award.
Commerce Prof. Patrick Dennis, Romance Languages Prof. Cristina Della Coletta, French Prof. Alison Levine and Philosophy Prof. Rebecca Stangl received the Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award, along with Arnold, Bray, Burnett, Epstein, Palmer and Williams.
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