Faculty known for their commitment to students and the university received awards during a ceremony at the High Country Conference Center on April 19.
David Grider, associate professor of construction management, Thomas Hoisch, professor of geology, and Gregory Larkin, professor of English, received the President’s Award for Faculty and Academic Professionals from NAU President John Haeger.
The three faculty members were singled out to receive the award for their exemplary contributions to the NAU mission in at least three categories: creativity in teaching, creative use of technology, advising, assessment, recruitment/retention, collaborative research, diversity and service.
Haeger and Liz Grobsmith, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, presented more than 60 awards, including faculty promotions, to those who demonstrate excellence in their profession throughout the year.
Among them were six faculty members who were presented with the Teacher of the Year Award from their colleges, and others were recognized for promotion and tenure status.
The three-year appointment recognizes the scholars’ impact on undergraduate learning and provides them the opportunity to develop and teach their “dream course.” They also become board members on the NAU Teaching Academy. Natalie Hess, professor of bilingual and multicultural education at NAU-Yuma, Mary Reid, professor in the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, and Catherine Ueckert, associate professor of biology education, also were honored as the 2010 Distinguished Teaching Fellows.
Hess is known on the NAU-Yuma campus and in her community as a teacher-scholar who takes an experiential approach to student learning and integrates students’ challenging class work into community contexts. Students call her a wise, innovative, creative and inspirational teacher and mentor.
Reid’s classes are considered dynamic, real-world and challenging for the way they place learning activities into practical in-class and out-of-class contexts to increase students’ participation in their own learning. She also is admired by colleagues for her repertoire of teaching approaches that fit her content.
Ueckert’s deliberative attention to the teaching of multiple sections of her introductory biology course has led to more program coherence and improved student engagement, motivation and success. She values enabling students to discover the joy of learning and the enthusiasm that comes from digging into a subject.
Click here for a complete list of awards and promotions.