2021-2022 Teaching Award WinnersThe Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes outstanding pedagogical achievement by a Brown University graduate student. The Graduate School will bestow up to four awards. Each year, the awards and honoraria are given out at the University Awards ceremony.
Award criteria include:
- Teaching that influences, motivates and inspires students to learn and fosters independent learning. Indicated by the graduate student's feedback to students on class assignments and how this feedback is consonant with course goals, or through statements regarding the graduate student's pedagogical technique.
- Development of curriculum and resources that promote student learning. A demonstration of the graduate student's use of imaginative instructional resources, a research-inspired approach to teaching, a current knowledge of the field, and the ability to communicate clear objectives and expectations for student learning.
- Development of students as individual learners. Evidence that the graduate student is responsive and supportive to the diversity among his or her students, and that assessment methods are similarly adapted.
All nominations are reviewed by the Graduate Council, which also makes final determinations regarding the winners.
Nomination process:
The award is open to current or former teaching assistants or teaching fellows in any graduate program. Each candidate must be nominated by their program, and each program may submit only one nomination. Nominations should be made through UFunds, found under the Graduate Student and Alumni Awards button.
Deadline: March 1, 2023
Nominations requirements: A nomination letter, and as many as three additional letters of support from other program faculty. If the nomination letter is not from the Director of Graduate Study, the DGS should at least provide a brief letter of endorsement.
In addition, nominations typically include two or more of the following:
- A first-hand account of a class or lab visit by a faculty member from the program or from another independent observer (this account may be one of the additional letters of support from faculty).
- A letter of support from a former student.
- A faculty member’s written summary account of the student evaluations of the instructor. (If such a letter is provided, copies of the evaluations themselves may be supplied; otherwise, please do not include the undergraduate student evaluations.)
- Other evidence of pedagogical innovation, such as course materials developed by the nominee.
Winners of the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching include:
2022
Rui F. Carvalho, Sociology | Read about Rui's award
Tess Renker, Hispanic Studies | Read about Tess' award
Samuel Pattillo Smith, Computational Biology | Read about Samuel's award
Jae-Young Son, Psychology | Read about Jae-Young's award
2021
Lakshmi Govindarajan, Cognitive Science | Read about Lakshmi's award
Jonathan Cortez, American Studies | Read about Jonathan's award
Christopher J. Lee, English | Read about Christopher's award
Hannah Krueger, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences | Read about Hannah's award
2020
Muntazir Ali, Religious Studies
Christina Bailey-Hytholt, Biomedical Engineering
Alyssa Pascuzzo, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Les Robinson, History
Read more about the recipients.
2019
David Abel, Computer Science
Kimberly Lewis, Anthropology
John Santiago, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry
Abner Santos, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
2018
Sarah Elizabeth Kaptur, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry
Jonathan Lande, History
Justin L. Pombrio, Computer Science
Ian M. Russell, Hispanic Studies
2017
Carolyn Bergonzo, Literary Arts
Junkyung Kim, Cognitive Science
Ruth W. Lo, History of Art and Architecture
Silvia Cabral Teresa, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
2016
Nicholas A. Friesner, Religious Studies
Magnus Pharao Hansen, Anthropology
Natalie E. Lozinski-Veach, Comparative Literature
Cassady E.Rupert, Biomedical Engineering
2015
Andrea Elizabeth Flores
Jonathan E. Sozek
2014
Angela S. Allan, English
Michael Powers, German Studies
2013
Anna F. Bialek, Religious Studies
Jason M. Scimeca, Cognitive Science
2012
Jeffrey W. Miller, Applied Mathematics
2011
Christopher Holmes, English
2010
Rex P. Nielson, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
2009
Jason Zysk, English
2008
Eugenie Brinkema, Modern Culture and Media
Corey McEleney, English
2007
Kerin Holt, English
Maria del Mar Patron Vazquez, Hispanic Studies
2006
Angel Otero-Blanco, Hispanic Studies
Wendy Lee, English
2005
Julian Ling-Chao Wong, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry
Kira Lawrence, Geological Sciences
2004
Jennifer Rains, Hispanic Studies
Malhar Nabar, Economics