Each year, Rice honors members of the university community who have served students through outstanding teaching, dedication and service. Here are recipients of some of this year's awards:
Nicolas Salgo Distinguished Teacher Award
The junior and senior classes bestowed upon Travis Alexander, lecturer in medical humanities, Rice's oldest teaching award: the Nicolas Salgo Distinguished Teacher Award. Created in 1966, the award is funded by the Salgo-Noren Foundation.
Presidential Award for Mentoring
The Presidential Award for Mentoring went to Arthur Gottschalk, professor of composition and theory; and Elaine Howard Ecklund, professor of sociology and the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences. The award is given to faculty members who demonstrate a strong commitment to mentoring graduate or undergraduate students.
Charles W. Duncan Jr. Achievement Award for Outstanding Faculty
Anshumali Shrivastava, associate professor of computer sciences, and Aryeh Warmflash, associate professor of biosciences, received the Duncan Award, which is presented by Rice deans upon the recommendation of senior faculty. It honors tenure-track or tenured faculty members who demonstrate outstanding performance in both teaching and scholarship.
Sophia Meyer Farb Prize for Teaching
Brittany Utting, assistant professor of architecture, received the Sophia Meyer Farb Prize for Teaching. Given by Phi Beta Kappa, this award goes to a nontenured assistant professor or assistant teaching professor for outstanding teaching performance, as determined by student evaluations.
Sarah A. Burnett Teaching Prize in the Social Sciences
Bryce McCleary, lecturer in linguistics, has been awarded the Sarah A. Burnett Teaching Prize in the Social Sciences.
STC Teaching Award
Undergraduates Rishi Kuppachi Vas, Krithi Pachipala and Andrea Lara Lin have been named winners of the Student-Taught Course (STC) Teaching Awards. They were selected by a committee of Center for Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellows based on a review of instructional materials and course evaluations.
Faculty Award for Excellence in University Service and Leadership
The recipient of the Faculty Award for Excellence in University Service and Leadership is Jenifer Bratter, professor of sociology. This award is bestowed annually on a faculty member or members making significant and distinctive contributions to the mission of Rice through exceptional university service and leadership.
Faculty Award for Excellence in Professional Service and Leadership
Eden King, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor Psychology, and Maria Oden, teaching professor in the department of bioengineering, are the recipients of the Faculty Award for Excellence in Professional Service and Leadership. This award is bestowed annually to a faculty member or members making significant contributions to the academic profession or to the wider community (local, national or international) through professional service and leadership.
Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching and Service
The Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching and Service was given to Anthony Várilly-Alvarado, professor of mathematics, and Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion. This award is bestowed periodically on a faculty member or members who fulfill the Rice academic ideal by exhibiting exemplary achievement in all aspects of faculty responsibilities: research, teaching and service.
Graduate Teaching Award for Excellence in Student Support
Saxton Fisher, a graduate student in chemistry, has won the Graduate Teaching Award for Excellence in Student Support. The award honors a graduate student who excelled in providing support to students in the classroom, defined as any work done with students in a course whether during class, recitations or office hours.
Graduate Teaching Award for Excellence in Course Support
Chia Hsieh, a graduate student studying ecology and evolutionary biology, is being recognized with the Graduate Teaching Award for Excellence in Course Support. The focus of this award is on substantive contributions to course design and delivery, such as contributions to the design of the syllabus, individual assignments, online tutorials or the delivery of various in-class lessons and activities.
Graduate Liberal Studies John Freeman Faculty Teaching Award and Faculty Mentoring Award
Newell Boyd, professor of history, and Alma Novotny, lecturer in biochemistry and cell biology, are the recipients of the Graduate Liberal Studies (GLS) John Freeman Faculty Mentoring Award. The annual award recognizes outstanding GLS faculty who make significant contributions to the program or in the service of its students.
Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Engineering
Elizabeth Jennings McGuffey, assistant teaching professor of statistics, is the winner of the Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Engineering, which recognizes continued excellence in teaching and exemplary commitment to the education of undergraduate or graduate students.
Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Natural Sciences
The Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Natural Sciences has been won by Jamie Catanese, assistant teaching professor of biosciences. This award recognizes excellence in teaching and outstanding commitment to the education of students in the School of Natural Sciences.
Graduate Teaching Award for Independent Instruction
Christopher Patrick Senn, a graduate student in religion, and Alexander Nolte, a graduate student in mathematics, have received the Graduate Teaching Award for Independent Instruction, which honors graduate students for outstanding work teaching their own undergraduate courses.
Marjorie Corcoran Award
Mikki Hebl, the Henry Malcom Lovett Professor of Psychological Sciences and Management, has been honored with the Marjorie Corcoran Award. The award is given to a Rice faculty member who has made major contributions to the advancement of women or underrepresented minorities in STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — either in support of students at Rice or through local, state or national programs, with a particular commitment to engaged mentoring.
This year also marked the introduction of the following three awards, created by the Office of the Provost:
Provost’s Award for Outstanding Doctoral Adviser
The Provost’s Award for Outstanding Doctoral Adviser was won by Jeff Hartgerink, professor of chemistry and bioengineering, and Pulickel Ajayan, Chair of the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering. The award honors faculty members’ mentorship of doctoral students who completed all degree requirements in the last 10 years. Emphasis is placed on the career paths students take, the professors’ placement of students, and the professors’ influence as an adviser of both their own students and the students in the broader degree program.
Provost’s Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement
Danielle King, assistant professor of psychological sciences, and Lauren Stadler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, have received the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement, which recognizes faculty members' contributions in research, scholarship and/or creative works within the first 10 years of their faculty appointment that have garnered public and/or professional accolades. The award not only celebrates current achievements, but also anticipates future excellence.
Provost’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Achievement
Jun Lou, professor of materials science and nanoengineering, and Timothy Morton, the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, have won the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Achievement, which honors faculty members who have made exceptional contributions in research, scholarship and/or creative works over the course of the last five years.