2022-23 University Teaching Awards Announced

NC State has honored more than 42 faculty for their commitment to educational excellence with the 2022-23 University Teaching Awards. Award recipients were recognized at a University Teaching Awards Luncheon and Ceremony on April 21 at the Park Alumni Center.

Jason Bocarro, the Owens-Shelton Distinguished Professor for Leadership with a Global Perspective in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, received the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the most prestigious award given to faculty for teaching excellence. 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 NC State’s winner.

Bocarro will be recognized at NC State’s spring commencement exercises. The NC State Memorial Belltower will also be lit red in his honor at a time of his choosing.

Also nominated for the award were:

• Mark Beasley, professor, Department of Accounting
• Andrew Fox, professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
• Jody Gookin, FluoroScience Distinguished Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences
• Gabriel Keith Harris, professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
• Jacqueline Hughes-Oliver, professor, Department of Statistics
• Marguerite Moore, professor, Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management

Miles Engell, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching is the most prestigious award for exceptional teaching given to professional full-time faculty from among NC State’s 10 colleges and the University College. The award was established in 2021 to underscore the importance of teaching and to encourage, identify, recognize, reward, and support teaching within the university.

Also nominated for the award were:

• Valerie Faulkner, teaching professor, Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences
• Tommy Holden, teaching professor, Department of Health and Exercise Studies
• Steph Jeffries, associate teaching professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
• D. Scott Showalter, professor of practice, Department of Accounting
• Lynn Worley-Davis, assistant teaching professor, Prestage Department of Poultry Science
• Ginger Yu, teaching professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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

• Steph Jeffries, associate teaching professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

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:

• Marcelo Ardón, associate professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
• Tzvetelina Battestilli, associate teaching professor, Department of Computer Science
• Natalie Cooke, assistant professor, Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
• Xiaomeng Fang, assistant professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
• Anna Gibson, assistant teaching professor, Department of English
• Carlos Goller, associate teaching professor, Department of Biological Sciences
• Jianxin Hu, associate professor, School of Architecture
• Ryan Hurley, associate professor, Department of Communication
• Amy Johnson, assistant professor, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
• Jeremiah Johnson, associate professor,  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
• Dana Kotter-Gruehn, associate teaching professor, Department of Psychology
• Nathan Leaf, teaching professor, Department of Performing Arts and Technology
• Christina Lewellen, associate professor, Department of Accounting
• Jun Liu, associate professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Paula McAvoy, associate professor, Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences
• Katie Sheats, associate professor, Department of Clinical Sciences
• Karl Wegmann, associate professor, Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

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, the Provost’s 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.

The Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award was presented to the following faculty members:

• Autumn Belk, teaching professor, Department of Performing Arts and Technology
• Timothy Buie, associate professor, Department of Graphic Design and Industrial Design
• Alina Duca, teaching professor, Department of Mathematics
• Carla Fröhlich, professor, Department of Physics
• Ashok Gopalarathnam, professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Julianne Treme, associate teaching professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

The award, sponsored by the NC State Alumni Association, is one of the most prestigious awards to recognize undergraduate-level teaching given on campus. Up to six recipients will receive this recognition each year and retain their title for the duration of their career as an NC State faculty member. Each recipient will receive a cash award.

The Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Award was presented to the following faculty members:

• Margaret Blanchard, professor. Department of STEM Education
• Michael Dickey, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Duncan Lascelles, professor, Department of Clinical Sciences
• Yingjiao Xu, professor, Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management

The award, sponsored by the NC State Alumni Association, is one of the most prestigious awards to recognize graduate-level teaching given on campus. Up to four recipients will receive this recognition each year and retain their title for the duration of their career as an NC State faculty member. Each recipient will receive a cash award.

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