The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System has recognized 72 faculty members from institutions within the system for outstanding teaching, including 34 faculty members from The University of Texas at Austin, three of who are from the Cockrell School of Engineering:
- Richard H. Crawford, Ph.D., P.E., professor and the Temple Foundation Endowed Faculty Fellow No. 3, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Michael D. Engelhardt, Ph.D., P.E., the Dewitt C. Greer Centennial Professor, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
- Michael E. Webber, Ph.D., assistant professor, associate director of the Center for International Energy & Environmental Policy, co-director of the Clean Energy Incubator, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty members will be honored as the 2011 Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award winners during a ceremony on The University of Texas at Austin campus Wednesday, Aug. 24. They will share $1.8 million in awards.
The cash awards, which range from $15,000 to $30,000 – and believed to be among the nation's highest for higher education faculty – are given to faculty members at UT System academic institutions who demonstrate extraordinary classroom performance and innovation at the undergraduate level. The event will mark the program's third year.
"Today the Board of Regents considers it a true honor and privilege to recognize another class of great educators from across the University of Texas System with not only a ceremonial event but with much deserved financial rewards," said Regents Chairman Gene Powell. "The Board is committed to continuing the process of seeking out, hiring and rewarding great teachers and the Board looks forward to holding these ceremonies for many years to come."
"These faculty members embody the mission and spirit of The University of Texas at Austin," said President William Powers Jr. "They inspire our students, open their eyes to new knowledge and opportunity, and train the leaders of tomorrow to think critically and deeply about the world around them. We are very proud of them."
Award nominees must demonstrate a clear commitment to teaching and a sustained ability to deliver excellence to the undergraduate learning experience. Candidates' teaching performance over three years was rigorously examined by campus and external judges.
Additionally, students, peer faculty and external reviewers considered a range of activities and criteria, including classroom expertise, quality of curriculum, innovative course development and student learning outcomes.
"It is our system's responsibility to provide an exceptional education to our students, and we believe this award program not only furthers that goal, but helps promote a culture of excellence that produces better teaching, better learning and, ultimately, better-prepared graduates to enter our work force," said UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa.
The awards program – established by the Board of Regents in August 2008 – has recognized 217 educators spanning more than 100 disciplines. The awards are the latest in a series of UT System-sponsored activities aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching, research and commercialization endeavors at all 15 UT System institutions.
See a full list of faculty awardees.
