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UT Dallas Center for Teaching and Learning Newsletter
April 2024, Issue 18
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Faculty Honored for Teaching Excellence
This month’s CTL Newsletter is dedicated to highlighting professors from a wide range of disciplines who were honored at the Seventh Annual Celebration of Teaching Excellence. UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson and Provost Inga Musselman presented faculty and staff with their awards.
Below are the winners in each category and those earning honorable mentions.
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Regents Outstanding Teaching Award, 2023
Dr. John Zweck
Mathematical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Dr. John Zweck is a professor of mathematical sciences whose research in computational and applied mathematics has applications to physics-based engineering systems. Since joining UT Dallas in 2012, Zweck has continuously fine-tuned his courses based on input from students and teaching assistants because he believes, “Teaching and learning are intimately related.” Working together in small group problem sessions, his students explain their work to others to fully grasp concepts and use 3D-printed models to visualize geometrical objects.
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UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers
Dr. Clint Peinhardt
Political Science, Public Policy and Political Economy, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Dr. Clint Peinhardt is a professor of political science, public policy and political economy. He researches and teaches subjects at the intersection of international relations, economics, management, and law, with a particular emphasis on multinational corporations and international investment arbitration. Starting in 2022, Peinhardt’s classes in international political economy have written and revised their own open-access textbook on the subject.
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President’s Teaching Excellence Award Undergraduate Instruction (Tenure System)
Dr. Christine Veras
Animation and Games, Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology
Dr. Christine Veras is an assistant professor in the animation and games program. She is a scholar and practitioner dedicated to empowering the next generation of creative professionals and researchers. Her courses are inspired by her background in animation studies, merging history, theory and practice. Veras’ international experience in Brazil, Singapore, France, Germany, Switzerland and the United States adds a global perspective to her work, leading her to welcome and encourage cross-cultural insights and sensibilities. As the director of the experimenta.l. Animation Lab, she fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and inspires the exploration of animation through various hands-on techniques. Her award-winning patented work brings together the excellence of creative research in art and science.
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President’s Teaching Excellence Award Undergraduate Instruction (Non-Tenure System)
Dr. Christina Thompson
Chemistry, Hobson Wildenthal Honors College
Dr. Christina Thompson is an associate professor of instruction who teaches introductory organic chemistry lecture and lab in Collegium V, as well as a variety of Honors College reading classes. She maintains two apiaries at UT Dallas for educating students about honeybees and native pollinators. Thompson also conducts research in Dr. Ronald Smaldone’s research lab developing new low-density materials for energy storage.
Honorable Mention: Dr. Stephanie Taylor, Science/Math Education, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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President’s Teaching Excellence Award Graduate/Professional Instruction
Dr. Sriraam Natarajan
Computer Science, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Dr. Sriraam Natarajan is a professor of computer science and works on fundamental research in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. He has taught more than 20 courses and developed at least six original courses. He has served as a doctoral advisor to 12 PhD students who have completed their degree as well as nine current students and has mentored more than 30 master’s and undergraduate students. He also has published more than 125 papers, coauthored three books, served as conference chair or specialty chair in many AI conferences, and is an associate editor in top AI and machine learning journals. His research is funded by DARPA, NIH, NSF, AFOSR and ARO.
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President’s Teaching Excellence Award Online/Blended Instruction
Dr. Oziel Rios
Mechanical Engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Dr. Oziel Rios is an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He was instrumental in developing and designing the mechanical engineering freshman courses and lab space. He also has developed and teaches courses on computer-aided design, kinematics and dynamics of mechanical systems, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing. Rios has received a CTL Instructional Improvement Award (2020) and received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the Jonsson School (2023).
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Undergraduate Advisor of the Year
Dr. Malinda Hicks
School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Dr. Malinda Hicks earned a BA in sociology, an MS in applied sociology, and a PhD in public policy and political economy, all from UT Dallas. She started her career as an academic advisor at UTD in 2019, just before the pandemic. Before becoming an advisor, she worked as a program analyst for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. She considers her academic advising practice to be a calling, and her greatest satisfaction comes from helping disadvantaged or marginalized students persist in achieving their educational goals.
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President’s Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants
Dr. Katherine Wilds
Criminology and Criminal Justice, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Dr. Katherine Wilds has served as a teaching assistant since 2019, assisting in over 20 classes in sociology and criminology and criminal justice, and as instructor of record since 2021 for three undergraduate criminology classes, as well as Media & Crime (her favorite). Wilds actively serves her department, UT Dallas, national organizations and federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration/Department of Homeland Security K-9 Explosive Detection Squad. Furthermore, she has been an invited speaker for EPPS and University-wide TA orientations, plugging CTL’s invaluable certificates and workshops, along with other tips. In addition to teaching, she recently defended her doctoral dissertation titled “We’ve got a 4/20 in progress: Effects of Dallas cannabis policy on police productivity and conducts research on negative addictions and drug policies.”
Honorable Mentions:
Janelle Gray, Literature, Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology
Matthew Babbitt, Mathematical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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Provost’s Award for Graduate Research Mentoring
Dr. Shalini Prasad
Bioengineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Dr. Shalini Prasad is Cecil H. and Ida A. Green Professor of Systems Biology and department head of bioengineering. She also is the director of the Biomedical Microdevices and Nanotechnology Laboratory at UT Dallas, which develops novel sensor technologies ranging from wearable technologies and portable diagnostics to defense and environmental monitors. Her research has been supported by several federal and state agencies as well as foundations and corporate entities. She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening. She is the recipient of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to higher education and entrepreneurship.
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Provost’s Award for Undergraduate Research Mentoring
Dr. Benedict Kolber
Neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Dr. Benedict Kolber is an associate professor of neuroscience, director of the Pain and Stress Laboratory and co-director of the ENSURE and MARC undergraduate research programs. Undergraduates in the laboratory pursue critical discovery and clinical research questions related to understanding and treating chronic pain.
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Provost’s Award for Faculty Mentoring (Tenure-Track)
Dr. Michael Kesden
Physics, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Dr. Michael Kesden is an associate professor of physics. His theoretical research focuses on gravitational-wave emission by binary black holes and stellar tidal disruption by supermassive black holes. He also is deeply interested in how technology can promote physics education and outreach and has developed the software STEPP (Scaffolded Training Environment for Physics Problem-solving) and VIGOR (Virtual Interaction with Gravitational waves to Observe Relativity).
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Provost’s Award for Faculty Mentoring (Non-Tenure)
Dr. Syed Kaazim Naqvi
American Studies, School of Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Syed Kaazim Naqvi is associate professor of instruction in American studies and head of the Master’s of Interdisciplinary Studies program. He is happy to have had the opportunity to be a mentor to two new faculty members this academic year and has enjoyed getting to attend faculty mentoring program events. Naqvi is honored to have been nominated for the award by his mentee, Dr. Lance Lusk, who has thanked him for giving advice with regards to courses and professional development during his first year at UTD.
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CTL Outstanding Service Award
Dr. L. Douglas Kiel
Public and Nonprofit Management, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
This award recognizes faculty members who, though not formally part of the CTL team, have made significant contributions to faculty development. Even after transitioning to emeritus status after 35 years at UT Dallas, Dr. Doug Kiel remains actively involved in initiatives that greatly benefit the University. He recently led a workshop series titled “Teaching for a Changing World: Helping Students Navigate Complexity, Thrive with Change, and Promote Well-Being.” He also contributed to the Teaching as Well-Being series organized by the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers (UTSADT) in collaboration with UT System Faculty Developers.
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