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1995-1996 index

Brown professor named 1995 Rhode Island Professor of the Year

Neumann, assistant professor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, joined the Brown faculty in 1989, first as a visiting professor then as a full-time faculty member beginning in 1991. He previously taught at the Technical University in Munich, Germany, where he received his Ph.D. in architectural history. Neumann also studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.

Neumann has written numerous scholarly articles and two books, including the exhibition catalog for the David Winton Bell Gallery's upcoming exhibition, "Film Architecture: Set Designs from Metropolis to Blade Runner." Neumann served as editor and co-author of that publication.

He has won two major teaching awards while at Brown: the John Rowe Workman Award in 1993 and the Barrett Hazeltine Citation in 1994. Neumann's nomination for the Carnegie Foundation award included letters from current and former students as well as colleagues, including Newell Stultz, associate dean of the faculty and professor of political science. "As a teacher myself it is quite thrilling to meet outstanding teachers like Dietrich," said Stultz. "When you lay eyes on them for the first time, you immediately see that these people command your attention; they almost exude teaching ability."

Neumann's award arrived shortly after U.S. News & World Report's ranking of Brown as second in the nation for quality of teaching. "Dietrich is the sort of person who's giving us that distinction," said Stultz.

Neumann is the third Brown professor to be named Rhode Island Professor of the Year; biology professor Kenneth Miller won in 1992, and James Head III, professor of geology, received the award in 1990.

Neuman's first book was German Skyscrapers of the 1920s. He has written extensively on European and American Architecture between the turn of the century and World War II. His next project will be a resource book for architectural research in Rhode Island, which grew out of a research project he conducted with graduate students in art history.

Brown will publicly recognize Neumann's achievement during the annual Academic Convocation, to be held in April. During that ceremony, several other faculty will be honored for their achievements during the academic year.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), based in Washington, D.C., established the Professors of the Year program in 1981 and works in cooperation with the Carnegie Foundation and various higher education associations in its administration. The program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country, those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring professors.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a policy center located in Princeton, N.J., is devoted to strengthening America's schools and colleges.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is an international association of colleges, universities and independent elementary and secondary schools. Representing these institutions are professionals in the fields of alumni relations, communications and fund raising.

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