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SAS 2007 Teaching Awards |
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April 24, 2007, Volume 53, No. 31
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Awards Reception
Dr. Rebecca W. Bushnell, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Dennis DeTurck, dean of the College, announce the following recipients of the School’s 2007 teaching awards, to be presented this afternoon, at an awards reception that is open to the University community, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Upper Egyptian Gallery of the Penn Museum.
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Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching
This year’s recipient of SAS’s highest teaching honor is Dr. David Wallace, Judith Rodin Professor of English. Dr. Wallace earns praise as a teacher with “the enviable gift of making very difficult medieval texts accessible, attractive and utterly relevant” in classroom settings large and small,” wrote one colleague. “Without sacrificing rigor … he encourages students of every ability to write well and express themselves thoughtfully about subjects that students initially find intimidating or obscure.”
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 Dr. Peter Decherney, assistant professor of English. In both his teaching of film history and his inventive courses such as “Copyright and Culture,” or in his contributions to Penn’s emerging cinema studies curriculum, Dr. Decherney, a colleague wrote, “is a veritable engine of new approaches and ideas.”
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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 honoree is Dr. Frederick Scatena, professor and chair of earth and environmental science. A colleague wrote that “his eagerness to engage students at all levels in his field research has extended to a new level the willingness of faculty in our department to find the best in even very young aspirants to the scientific community.”
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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 Dr. Karen Detlefsen, assistant professor of philosophy. A former student in Dr. Detlefsen’s “History of Modern Philosophy” course wrote that “She gets her students jazzed up about abstract concepts with her enthusiasm and her ability to make this hard-to-access material understandable.”
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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 Clelia (Sally) Mallory, a senior lecturer in chemistry and long-time instructor in the department’s challenging introductory experimental organic chemistry course. A colleague observed that “She constantly generates great student enthusiasm … and yet she does it by getting her students to work really hard!”
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CGS Distinguished Teaching Award
This award honors outstanding teaching and advising in the College of General Studies (CGS). This year’s recipient of the award for standing faculty is Dr. Michael Gamer, associate professor of English, who has developed a number of innovative CGS courses like “Law and Literature” and has revamped the curriculum in CGS’s Penn-in-London summer program.
Dr. Deborah Burnham, a lecturer in English, earns the non-standing faculty honor for her exceptional teaching in CGS undergraduate and Master of Liberal Arts courses, and for her dedication as an advisor to CGS students. |
Dr. Deborah Burnham, a lecturer in English, earns the non-standing faculty honor for her exceptional teaching in CGS undergraduate and Master of Liberal Arts courses, and for her dedication as an advisor to CGS students.
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Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students
This award recognizes graduate students for teaching that is intellectually rigorous and has a considerable impact on undergraduate students. This year’s awardees are:
Asher Auel, Mathematics
Jennifer Glaser, Comparative Literature
Laura Heffernan, English
Myra Lotto, English
Efstratios Minakakis, Music
Megan Phifer-Rixey, Biology
Veronica Schanoes, English
Jill Shashaty, English
Greg Steirer, English
Curtis Swope, German |
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Almanac -
April 24, 2007, Volume 53, No. 31
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