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NC State Holds 2020-21 University Teaching Awards Virtual Ceremony

Memorial Belltower

NC State honored winners of the 2020-21 University Teaching Awards in a virtual ceremony on April 21. 

More than 30 faculty were recognized for their commitment to educational excellence, with awards including: the Outstanding Teacher Award, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award, Gertrude Cox Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology, and the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“Throughout all of the challenges presented by the past year, our faculty have remained firm in their commitment to educational excellence,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Warwick Arden. “We owe a debt of gratitude to each of them, as they are what makes NC State a shining example for our peers in higher education.”

The Outstanding Teacher Award recognizes excellence in teaching at all levels. Faculty must receive the Outstanding Teacher Award in order to be eligible for the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award.

Recipients of the Outstanding Teacher Award become members of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers for as long as they remain NC State faculty.

The Outstanding Teacher Award was presented to the following faculty members:

  • Steve Barr, professor, Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • Jacqueline Cole, associate professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • Carla Delcambre, associate professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
  • Jeremiah Feducia, teaching associate professor, Department of Chemistry
  • Christopher Galik, associate professor, School of Public and International Affairs
  • Praveen Kolar, professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
  • Kari McCloud, lecturer, Exploratory Studies program
  • Dru McGill, assistant professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
  • Anne McLaughlin, professor, Department of Psychology
  • Patrice Nealon, senior lecturer, Department of Business Management
  • R. Bryan Ormond, assistant professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
  • Lara Pacifici, teaching associate professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
  • Jonathan Phillips, senior lecturer, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
  • Melissa Ramirez, teaching associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences
  • Alexei Saveliev, associate professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Angela Smith, teaching associate professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development
  • Binil Starly, James T. Ryan Professor, Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

The Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award sponsored by the NC State Alumni Association, is one of the most prestigious undergraduate teaching awards given on campus. Up to six recipients receive this recognition each year and retain their title for the duration of their career as an NC State faculty member. A cash award will be presented to each recipient.

The Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award was presented to the following faculty members:

  • Lianne Cartee, teaching professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • April Fogleman, associate professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
  • Stephanie Jeffries, teaching associate professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
  • Olga Kleiankina, teaching associate professor, Department of Music
  • Gary Lackmann, professor, Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Anne Spafford, associate professor, Department of Horticultural Science

The Gertrude Cox Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology first given in 2002, honors the creative pedagogy of NC State’s faculty and their work in integrating new technologies into effective teaching strategies. Gertrude Cox, “The First Lady of Statistics” and the award’s namesake, came to NC State in 1940 to establish the university’s distinguished Department of Statistics. 

The award was presented to the team of:

  • Natalie Cooke, assistant professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
  • Suzi Goodell, associate professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences

Hasan Jameel, Jordan Family Distinguished Professor for Natural Resource Innovation in the Department of Forest Biomaterials, was recognized as the recipient of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the most prestigious UNC System award given to faculty for teaching excellence. In 1993, the UNC Board of Governors established the award to underscore the importance of teaching and to encourage, identify, recognize, reward and support good teaching within the UNC university system.

College nominees for the award were also recognized:

  • Laura Clarke, professor, Department of Physics, College of Sciences
  • Chandra Cox, professor, Department of Art and Design, College of Design 
  • David Crouse, professor, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Russel Gorga, professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, Wilson College of Textiles
  • Marc Grimmett, professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development, College of Education
  • Russell King, Henry A. Foscue Distinguished Professor, Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering
  • Paul Mulvey, associate professor, Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Poole College of Management
  • Shevaun Neupert, professor, Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Lysa Posner, professor, Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine

This post was originally published in Provost's Office News.