June 21, 1999
UCSC honors 11 faculty members for excellence in teaching
Outstanding teaching assistants also lauded
By Francine Tyler
Each year, UCSC's Academic Senate honors a number of the campus's most
inspirational and passionate teachers. Eleven such professors and lecturers
have been chosen this year for the 1998-99 Excellence in Teaching Awards.
The award winners were nominated by students for qualities such as their
enthusiasm for teaching, commitment to learning, and the content of their
courses.
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Eleven professors and lecturers received Excellence in Teaching Awards this year (larger photo).
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Ten teaching assistants also received Outstanding Teaching Assistant awards (larger photo).
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"Even as UCSC increases in size and expands the number of programs
and courses it offers, the campus remains true to its founding vision of
excellence in undergraduate teaching," said Chancellor Greenwood.
Each award winner received a framed certificate and a $500 honorarium
at a ceremony at University House the day following the spring-quarter
meeting of the Academic Senate. The awards are sponsored by the senate's
Committee on Teaching, which evaluated students' nomination letters, endorsement
letters from department chairs, and statements on teaching from the nominees
themselves in making the award determinations.
The names of this year's recipients and the wording on their certificates
are:
- Judith Aissen, linguistics, honored for a fine balance of structure
and flexibility in teaching, stunning planning and organization, rigorously
thorough responses to student work, and very high standards, both for students
and for herself
- Margarita Azmitia, psychology, honored for a remarkable command
of material, a positive learning environment in which to explore ideas
and express points of view, a firm belief in students' ability to stretch
and surpass their limits, and an unusual willingness to reexamine performance
and improve already successful teaching
- George Brown, physics, honored for passion, diligence, style,
accurate and prolific knowledge, comprehensible delivery of material, and
selfless devotion to students with an emphasis on preparing them to become
effective, ethical, and distinguished leaders in society
- Jacqueline Brown, anthropology, honored for inspiring, passionate
commitment to learning (and unlearning), open-minded and generous engagement
with students, fairness and élan in managing class discussions,
and rigorous devotion to careful reading, critical analysis, and imaginative
contextualization of core ideas
- Giulia Centineo, Italian, honored for vibrant, tireless, inspirational
instruction in Italian, emphasizing the cultural and linguistic aspects
of the language while encouraging free thought and discussion among students
in an atmosphere of cooperation and friendship
- Brent Haddad, environmental studies, honored for interdisciplinary
teaching marked by creativity, inspiration, and rigor, meticulously laid
out lectures and infamously challenging homework and writing expectations,
accompanied by respect for and commitment to students and learning
- Bruce Levine, history, honored for vibrant, informative, inspiring,
and engaging lectures, a classroom based on mutual respect, openness, and
attentiveness, and an emphasis on student participation, collegiality,
teamwork, and success
- Barry McLaughlin, psychology, honored for lucid, knowledgeable,
challenging, and innovative teaching with an emphasis on students' active
participation in learning and a relaxed, reassuring, unpretentious instructional
style that brings out the best in students
- Nicole Paiement, music, honored for extraordinary dedication
to music, musical understanding, and the craft of conducting; inspired,
creative, dynamic instruction; and uncommon ability to engage students
to rise to their greatest potential, resulting in truly inspired performances
- Sarah Rabkin, writing, honored for dynamic, inspirational, and
articulate instruction, a deep level of commitment to students and their
creative energy, and a classroom that facilitates communication
- Judy Yung, American studies, honored for great command of subject
matter, scrupulous course preparation and organization, exceptional generosity
and civic-mindedness, and extraordinary dedication to teaching, to advising,
and above all, to students
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