2018-19 University Teaching Awards Presented

NC State honored more than 30 faculty for their commitment to educational excellence at the 2018-19 University Teaching Awards Ceremony on April 11.

Patrick Rand received the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the most prestigious award given to faculty for teaching excellence. The award process is coordinated by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost and the Office of Faculty Development. 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. Each college may nominate one candidate for this award, with one candidate selected as the overall winner.

Rand, who joined the faculty in 1977, is a professor of architecture in the College of Design. He teaches architectural design studios, a thesis preparation seminar, architectural construction systems, and architectural detailing and innovative materials seminars. In his courses, Rand focuses on the relationship between design and building technologies.

He is also one of NC State’s first recipients of a Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award. Rand is using his award to teach and conduct research at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, from January to May 2019.

At NC State’s spring commencement on May 11, Rand will be presented with a medallion and a cash prize by a member of the Board of Governors. The Memorial Belltower will be lit red in his honor at a time of his choosing.

Also nominated for the award were:

• John Godwin, professor, Department of Biological Sciences
• Russell Gorga, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor, director of undergraduate programs, associate department head, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
• Hasan Jameel, Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor, Department of Forest Biomaterials
• Jessica Jameson, professor, Department of Communication
• Russell King, Foscue Distinguished Professor, Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor, co-director, Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics, Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Hollylynne Lee, professor, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education
• Paul Mulvey, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor, Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Shannon Phillips, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor, Department of Animal Science

The Gertrude Cox Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology was presented to a team of faculty:

• Douglas Call, assistant professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
• Fernando Garcia Menendez, assistant professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

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

• Tania Allen, associate professor, co-director of graduate programs, Department of Art and Design
• Mohamed Bourham, Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, director of master of engineering program, Department of Nuclear Engineering
• Michael Boyette, Philip Morris Professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Marina Bykova, professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
• Joseph DeCarolis, associate professor, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
• Cesar Delgado, associate professor, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education
• Umut Dur, assistant professor, Department of Economics
• Mathew Gerard, teaching professor, Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences
• Tommy Holden, teaching professor, Department of Health and Exercise Studies
• Jorge Mari, professor, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
• James Michnowicz, associate professor, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
• Brina Montoya, assistant professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
• Sunkyu Park, E.J. “Woody” Rice Associate Professor, Department of Forest Biomaterials
• Ghada Rabah, teaching associate professor, Department of Chemistry
• Stefanie Robinson, assistant professor, Department of Business Management
• Clint Stevenson, assistant professor, distance education coordinator, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
• Nelson Vinueza Benitez, assistant professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
• Keith Weninger, professor, Department of Physics

The 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. Recipients’ names are published in the commencement program.

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