Economist Huseyin Yildirim started teaching as a teen-ager in a small village in Turkey. Wesley Kort started his long career with a Duke religion professor with a teaching award and 40 years later is again being honored for his classroom work.
This week they were among the Trinity College faculty members who were honored for excellence in teaching. The faculty members are nominated by students and faculty colleagues for the honor.
All of the award winners have strong research records, but they say they get a particular satisfaction from teaching. Mathematics professor Michael Reed, for example, says teaching is his way of giving students not just some knowledge of math but life skills such as public speaking.
"For most of them, this is going to play a large role in their professional life, so they have to be good at it," Reed said.
The David and Janet Vaughan Brooks Award, the Robert B. Cox Award, the Howard D. Johnson Award, and the Richard K. Lublin Award recognize faculty who encourage intellectual excitement and connect students to the processes of inquiry and discovery, knowledge of an academic field and ability to communicate it to students, openness to students, skill in organizing courses, commitment to teaching over time, and willingness to invest substantial effort in meeting Trinity College's instructional needs. These awards are distributed across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and carry a $5,000 stipend, in addition to a 1.5% increase in base salary.
Below are profiles of some this year's 2007 award winners.
The Dean's Distinguished Service Award recognizes a member of the Arts & Sciences faculty who has demonstrated exceptional service to the department, Trinity College, Arts & Sciences, and/or the university.
David and Janet Vaughan Brooks Award
Michael Reed -- Department of Mathematics. (For story, click here)
Richard K. Lublin Teaching Award
Wesley Kort -- Department of Religion. (For story, click here)
Howard Johnson Teaching Award
Huseyin Yildirim -- Department of Economics. (For story, click here)
Robert B. Cox Teaching Award
Daniel Rittschof -- Duke Marine Lab. (For story, click here)
Dean's Distinguished Service Award
Mary Boatwright -- Department of Classical Studies (For story, click here)
Other Schools and Awards
Not all Duke schools have announced teaching awards; some will be announced in the next two weeks before commencement. Here are some of the awards that have been announced:
The University Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award was established in 1981 by the Division of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church based on its conviction that colleges and universities draw their strength and vitality from their faculties. This award annually recognizes an outstanding faculty member for contributing to the learning arts, the institution, and the community through teaching, research, and service.
Larry B. Crowder -- Nicholas School of the Environment & Earth Sciences
School of Law
Duke Bar Association Distinguished Teaching Award
Pratt School of Engineering
Klein Family Distinguished Teaching Award
Wanda Krassowska -- Department of Biomedical Engineering
Stansell Family Distinguished Research Award
Piotr E. Marszalek -- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Lois and John L. Imhoff Distinguished Teaching Award
Benjamin B. Yellen -- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research
Warren M. Grill -- Department of Biomedical Engineering
Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising
Joseph A. Izatt -- Department of Biomedical Engineering
Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award
Henri Gavin -- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fuqua Schoolof Business
The Duke MBA - Weekend Executive Class of 2007 Teaching Award
Assistant Professor of Strategy David Ridley and Visiting Professor Jeff Reuer
The Duke MBA - Global Executive Class of 2007 Teaching Award
Adjunct Professor Nikos Vettas
Bank of America Faculty Award
Professor of Economics James Anton