Biological Sciences Professor Wins 2018 Academic Advising Award

On Jan. 26, NC State honored five exceptionally deserving advisors from across the university during the 2018 NC State University Undergraduate Academic Advising Awards Ceremony.

The recipients included Lisa Parks, who received the Faculty Advisor Award. The award recognizes an advisor whose primary responsibility is as a teaching/researching faculty member. The recipient exhibits a strong commitment to student success through availability to advisees, commitment to guiding students in career and academic paths, and awareness of policies and procedures.

Parks is Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor and Director of Biological Sciences in the College of Sciences. She came to NC State University in 1999 where she began teaching and advising freshmen biology majors. She teaches Introductory Biology (BIO 183), Cell Biology (BIO 414), Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences (LSC 101) and several other courses. She is actively involved in course development and enjoys mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in teaching and lab research projects. For many years, she has incorporated case studies into her physiology and cell biology courses and has designed a faculty-initiated honors component where students design new case studies they present and lead in those courses. She is a TH!NK faculty fellow and National Academies Education Mentor. Currently, she advises 20-30 biology majors, is director of the biology honors students, and works with the Women in Science and Engineering program as a mentor and presenter.

Read more about Parks and the other awardees at NC State’s Division of Academic and Student Affairs.