University President Dave Frohnmayer made surprise visits to the classrooms and offices of three professors Tuesday to present them with distinguished teaching awards.
The awards are presented annually to faculty who show auspicious beginnings in their careers and to experienced professors with an illustrious teaching record. The chosen professors also get a $2,000 raise.
“I was sitting in my office, tapping away at my computer,” said Joanna Lambert, an assistant anthropology professor who received a 2002 Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching. “They knocked on my door and came in. And President Frohnmayer had a nice little speech that he gave, and he presented me with a crystal apple. It was very cool.”
Lambert said she heard through the grapevine she might be up for an award but “thought it was a huge long shot and had to put it out of my mind entirely.” The three-year assistant professor said she is preparing for a trip to Africa on Friday to study the behavior of primates.
Assistant history professor Carlos Aguirre was delivering a lecture to his 10 a.m. Latin American history class when Frohnmayer and other Johnson Hall administrators entered to present the award to Aguirre.
“My students started paying more attention than
before,” said Aguirre, who has taught Latin American studies at the University since 1996. “They seemed to be very happy, and they applauded.
“I think this shows to a certain extent beyond my merits that students are interested in Latin America,” he added. “I take it as a recognition of the presence of Latin American studies and faculty here at our university.”
Associate chemistry professor Michael Haley
received the 2002 Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching, an award given to an educator with a long-standing record of solid teaching. Haley has taught chemistry courses at the University for nine years.
Provost John Moseley said students nominated
professors for the awards, and a committee of students and faculty selected the recipients several weeks ago. Moseley went with Frohnmayer and others to present the awards.
“It’s not a lot of money, but it’s a really nice recognition that we value quality teaching,” Moseley said.
E-mail reporter Eric Martin at [email protected]