AUSTIN, Texas — The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System has recognized 72 faculty members from institutions within the system for outstanding teaching, including 34 faculty members from The University of Texas at Austin.
The educators will be honored as the 2011 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award winners during a ceremony on The University of Texas at Austin campus Wednesday, Aug. 24. They will share $1.8 million in awards.
The cash awards, which range from $15,000 to $30,000 – believed to be among the nation’s highest for higher education faculty – are given to faculty members at UT System academic institutions who demonstrate extraordinary classroom performance and innovation at the undergraduate level. The event will mark the program’s third year.
The recipients from the College of Natural Sciences are:
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Michael Downer, Ph.D., College of Natural Sciences Distinguished Professor and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Physics,
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Jeffrey Gross, Ph.D., assistant professor, Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology
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Brent L. Iverson, Ph.D., chairman, the W.J. and V.M. Raymer Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
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Calvin Lin, Ph.D., professor and director of Turing Scholars Program, Department of Computer Science, and coach of the Texas Men's Ultimate Frisbee Team
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Michael D. Scott, MS, senior lecturer, Computer Science Department
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Christopher Shank, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Marine Science
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Marty Shankland, Ph.D., professor, Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology
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George Shubeita, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Physics
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Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, Ph.D., senior lecturer, School of Biological Sciences
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John F. Stanton, Ph.D., the Watt Centennial Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
“Today the Board of Regents considers it a true honor and privilege to recognize another class of great educators from across the University of Texas System with not only a ceremonial event but with much deserved financial rewards,” said Regents Chairman Gene Powell. “The Board is committed to continuing the process of seeking out, hiring and rewarding great teachers and the Board looks forward to holding these ceremonies for many years to come.”
“These faculty members embody the mission and spirit of The University of Texas at Austin. They inspire our students, open their eyes to new knowledge and opportunity, and train the leaders of tomorrow to think critically and deeply about the world around them. We are very proud of them,” said William Powers, Jr., president of The University of Texas at Austin.
Award nominees must demonstrate a clear commitment to teaching and a sustained ability to deliver excellence to the undergraduate learning experience. Candidates’ teaching performance over three years was rigorously examined by campus and external judges.
Additionally, students, peer faculty and external reviewers considered a range of activities and criteria, including classroom expertise, quality of curriculum, innovative course development and student learning outcomes.
“It is our system’s responsibility to provide an exceptional education to our students, and we believe this award program not only furthers that goal, but helps promote a culture of excellence that produces better teaching, better learning and, ultimately, better-prepared graduates to enter our work force,” said UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D.
A list of names and the institutions at which they teach is available online.
The awards program – established by the Board of Regents in August 2008 – has recognized 217 educators spanning more than 100 disciplines. The awards are the latest in a series of UT System-sponsored activities aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching, research and commercialization endeavors at all 15 UT System institutions.
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