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Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award
‘PHYSICAL’ EDUCATION
O
ne of the toughest classes for chemistry majors is physical chemistry, and the lab for what’s termed “p chem” is challenging enough to inspire a certain level of fear for some students. But Michael “Micky” Myrick, a chemistry and biochemistry professor in the Col-
lege of Arts and Sciences, has a very different viewpoint. “When I took the class many years ago, I thought it was the best undergradu-
ate class I ever had,” he said. “I felt I had learned so much in it. It’s still something
that informs how I think about things. It’s a class that teaches an undergraduate how to do an experiment
“It really is something of a finishing school for chemistry students.”
and how to interpret an experiment — and then how to write about it for other people.” Learning how to communicate scientific findings was one of the primary goals of the physical chemistry lab since Myrick began reorganizing its curriculum in 1999. “The simple act of writing — organizing your thoughts on paper and making good arguments — it’s something that we touch on in other courses, but p chem is where we do it best,” Myrick said. “It really is something of a finishing school for chemistry students.” —Steven Powell
John Gardner Inspirational Faculty Member Award Casey Goldston Giraudy, health promotion, education and behavior academic programs coordinator, Arnold School of Public Health “I made a ton of mistakes as a college student, and I want my students to be much more aware and intentional about the choices they make. If I can keep students from digging some of the ‘academic’ holes, then they won’t have to find ways to get out of them.”
Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year “I ask my students at the start of every semester why they’re taking oceanography and to tell me
Educational Foundation Research Award, Humanities and Social Sciences Brent Simpson, professor and graduate program director, sociology, College of Arts and Sciences
one cool fact about themselves. Then, during
“There isn’t a better sociology department to do experi-
the rest of the semester, I’ll try to refer to those
mental social psychology than the one here at South
little tidbits of information during lectures. It
Carolina. The research laboratory is arguably the best in
helps students get to know one another better
the world. And my colleagues — faculty and graduate
and helps lighten up the lecture.”
students — are phenomenal.”
— Claudia Benitez-Nelson, professor, School of Earth, Ocean & Environment, College of Arts and Sciences
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University of south carolina Educational Foundation Research Award, Health Sciences Steven Blair, professor, exercise science, epidemiology and biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health
Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award
“About 20 years ago we investigated the influence of obesity and aerobic fitness on risk of dying or developing a chronic disease. I was surprised that obese individuals who are fit have about one-half the risk of dying in the next decade compared to normal weight people who are unfit.” Educational Foundation Research Award, Science, Mathematics and Engineering John Weidner, professor, chemical engineering, College of Engineering and Computing “University research is exciting because I can work with students and together we can break new ground. Unlike industrial research where the focus is on solving a specific problem, here we are free to follow the most interesting path regardless of where it takes us.” Educational Foundation Research Award, Professional Schools William Brown, professor, educational studies, College of Education “Throughout my career, I have focused on preschool services for young children, especially those in poverty or at risk for difficulties related to school readiness. I am proud that this has led to research, evaluation projects and consultations with state and local agencies.” Educational Foundation Outstanding Service Award Scott Goode, professor and facilities manager, chemistry and biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences “I am honored to win this award for four decades of service
THE ‘KEYS’ TO SUCCESS
N
othing motivates Danny Jenkins more than seeing his music students succeed in their careers as conductors, composers, performers or educators. So every day he enters his
classroom to teach music theory, he brings his “A-game” with him.
“Music students are incredibly busy. In addition to traditional classes, they have performances, rehearsals, private lessons, and spend many hours in the practice room,” he says. “With the demands on their time outside the classroom, you have to make the most of the time in the classroom.” Jenkins, an assistant professor of music
that includes coordinating university needs with science
theory in the School of Music, strives to pro-
facility designers and project managers, managing the
vide a curriculum that balances a traditional
Palms Graduate Science Research Center, awards for teach-
approach, focusing on Western art music of the
ing and advising, and nationally recognized research.”
18th and 19th centuries, and mixing it with other musical styles, such as jazz, Broadway, folk and
Russell Research Award for Humanities and Social Sciences Lawrence Rhu, English, College of Arts and Sciences “Poetry makes us wonder what it means, and responses to that question sound like philosophy. My research allows me to write about both these pursuits and how they often turn into one another in the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Emerson and Cavell. They are all poetic philosophers and philosophical poets — my favorite kind of both.”
other popular music. “The world changes so rapidly, it is difficult to know what knowledge and skills our students will need in five years,” he says. “I think it is important to instruct them in general principles that emerge across place and time so they will have the creativity and flexibility to adapt in the future.” — Frenche Brewer
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Ada B. Thomas Outstanding Faculty Advisor (staff award)
A CALLING FOR SERVICE Patricia Armstrong didn’t plan to become a college adviser. In fact, she taught middle school in Rock Hill for three years. During her first two years at Carolina, Armstrong floated between
Ada B. Thomas Outstanding Faculty Advisor
different departments on campus, learning as
(Tenure-track faculty)
much as she could.
John Kupfer, professor,
Now, she’s a one-stop place for all academic
geography, College of
programs in the Department of Criminology
Arts and Sciences
and Criminal Justice in the College of Arts and Sciences. She helps students with advisement,
“When they sit down in
quotes, and one that I
“I love my job. I love advising students,” she
often use while advis-
says. “I enjoy the relationship I have with them
this chair, I want to be
and making sure they know they can come to
able to help...”
students. She advises at least 300 students
me for anything.” Her job is about helping and serving her each semester. “I feel that I am called to be of service to these students,” she says. “I don’t want them to
think that they don’t have anywhere to go. Professors don’t always have time but I am here for them.” When Armstrong advises her students she follows a simple philosophy — treat others how you would like to be treated. Her students have her complete attention, she says. “I just don’t want them to be a number,” she says. “Students have a lot going on beyond academics. There are a lot of things that affect academics and so when they sit down in this chair, I want to be able to help in some form.” —Liz McCarthy
“One of my favorite
senior checks, major changes and scholarships.
ing, comes from Seneca: ‘Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.’ I like to remind my students that there is a degree of luck in what opportunities arise after they graduate from USC. However, they have the ability to be prepared when opportunity knocks by making the most of their time at USC. By serving as an effective adviser and by engaging my advisees in research projects and internships, I try to prepare them for those opportunities that do eventually come along and open their eyes to opportunities that they may not even know exist.”
USC Times 5/30/2013
System awards
Michael J. Mungo Graduate Teaching Award
USC Aiken
USC Sumter
Excellence in Teaching Award
Hugh T. Stoddard Sr. award
Karen B. Edgington, instructor, business
Robert Austin Jenkins, instructor, biology
Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Teacher of the Year
Willie F. Strong, lecturer, music
D. Ray McManus, assistant professor, English
Excellence in Advisement Award
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USC Union
Mary C. Millies, student services program
Teacher of the Year
coordinator
Randy Ivey, instructor, English
Scholarly Activity Award Rao Li, professor, mathematical sciences
USC Lancaster
Community Service Award
Science, Nursing and Public Health Division
Lynne A. Rhodes, professor, English
Teacher of the Year
Distinguished Teacher of the Year and Math,
Sarah Sellhorst, assistant professor,
University Service Award Edward J. Callen, professor and department chair, psychology USC Salkehatchie
exercise science
Dr. James Stallworth is a true pioneer at USC.
Business, Behavioral Sciences, Criminal Justice
He’s been a faculty member since 1979, when the
and Education Division Teacher of the Year
School of Medicine was in its infancy.
Nicholas A. Guittar, assistant professor,
Distinguished Teaching Award and speech
Humanities Division Teacher of the Year Darris Hassell, instructor, Spanish
Governor’s Professor of the Year finalist Wei-Kai Lai, assistant professor, mathmatics
Student Government Association
and director of records and registration
Adjunct Professor of the Year Lauren Lang, adjunct professor, English
USC Upstate Excellence in Teaching and Advising
Professor of the Year Carl Eby, professor, English
Awards Andrea Davis, assistant professor,
Outstanding Academic Advisor of the Year
Sarah Branan, instructor, nursing
communication studies
Jody Vermilyea, tutoring services coordinator and adjunct professor of physical education
launched a series of pediatric clinics, including one for children coping with AIDS and obesity, and even assisted with design elements of the Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital.
Servant Heart Award Amanda English, University 101 instructor
USC Beaufort
He’s served on countless committees and filled a variety of administrative roles. He’s also
sociology
Joe Siren, instructor, political science, history
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
“If you’re a student of mine I will challenge and confront you”
Annual Award for Scholarly and/or Creative Pursuits
Vincent P. Mesaric Award
Tina Herzberg, director of graduation education
Rena Kratky, instructor, Spanish
programs, education
But it’s his love for teaching that keeps him going, a passion he developed at an early age. “It’s actually kind of a selfish thing, but I’ve always enjoyed helping people do well. I still do,” he said. For Stallworth, helping his students do well
Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award “I initially became a professor because of a desire to teach undergraduates about the Middle East; I myself experienced a personal transformation during a college year abroad in Cairo, Egypt. New knowledge, based on this experience, prompted me to commit to engaging in citizenship in my community; I want to help students develop their own new knowledge of the world by teaching them about other places and by imparting new conceptual ways to look at ordinary social issues.” — Amy Mills, associate professor of geography
S ystemwide
Q
&
Bettie Obi Johnson, assistant professor of chemistry and winner of this year’s John J. Duffy Excellence in Teaching Award, USC Lancaster
A
involves holding them to high standards and pushing them to question preconceived notions about practicing medicine. When the difference between life and death hinges on a single decision, there’s little room for flippancy. “If you’re a student of mine I will challenge and confront you,” he said. “But I’m confronting for you, not against you. It’s easier to enable rather than confront. And of course I want to be liked, but not at the expense of teaching the learner and expecting of them what the profession demands and deserves.” —Jeff Stensland
Chemistry is a difficult subject. What’s your secret for teaching it? I try to distill the complex information in chemistry down to simple concepts, and then apply them to solving problems. In chemistry, “practice makes perfect,” so students are encouraged to participate in class, work homework problems on their own and get help if they are struggling. I often meet with students outside of class to provide additional help.
Why is outreach to high school students so important to you? Sharing my experiences and information about the opportunities in science-related fields helps high school students, who are unsure of their career paths, to make more informed decisions. Visiting high schools also provides opportunities to discuss how USCL can help them achieve their goals. I really enjoy the excitement and enthusiasm in high school students.
Did you have a professor who inspired you? Even though I have had many professors, teachers and colleagues who have inspired me over the years, the most memorable was my high school chemistry teacher, Susana Suarez. She encouraged me to take advance placement chemistry, provided hours of help outside of class and even opened the doors of her home to help students prepare for the Chemistry Olympiad. I excelled in chemistry because of her unwavering dedication.
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University of south carolina Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award Camelia Knapp, professor, earth and ocean sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award
“In science in general, and in earth science in particular, undergraduate research provides a gateway to future opportunity. Students involved in undergraduate research consistently find either employment opportunities or are accepted by top graduate programs in the nation.” John Grady, associate professor, sport and entertainment management, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management “My role is both as a teacher and mentor. As a teacher, I reinforce the value of learning through research. As a mentor, I encourage students to be flexible in how they approach their research topics while remaining committed to finishing their projects on time.” Joe Quattro, professor, biological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences “This award is to an individual, but, in my case, the members of my lab — especially the graduate and undergraduate students — have earned the lion’s share of the recognition.” Clinical Practice Teaching Award Allan Brett, clinical internal medicine, School of Medicine “The small size of our medical school faculty gives each us a special opportunity to make a large impact on the lives of our students and residents. It can be difficult for clinically oriented faculty to divide their time between teaching, research and patient care. I’m very fortunate and grateful that I’ve been able to put together a career that allows me to do all those things, while serving as a clinical role model for medical students and residents.”
GETTING IT RIGHT 101
A
nn Johnson’s research on the history of science and technology has paid off in 10 National Science Foundation grants to-date and led to the publication
of her book, “Hitting the Brakes: Engineering Design and the Production of Knowledge,” but the associate professor of history and philoso-
Scott Sutton, associate clinical professor, pharmacy, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
phy has hardly lost sight of the classroom. “I know it sounds idealistic, but I think you
“I love to teach, to impact others and being a part of the
have the greatest ability to change the world
greatest university in the U.S. My profession and current
through undergrad teaching,” says Johnson.
position allow me to use my God-given ability to impact
“These are the citizens who make the decisions
the lives of students and patients of South Carolina.”
about how to support universities and research in the future.”
Russell Research Award for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Ralf Gothe, professor, physics and astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences “I work at a leading research university where students can thrive and caring for them matters; I am part of the best nuclear physics group I can dream of where undergraduate and graduate students, post docs and faculty members all support each other to succeed in our research goals; and I get all the backing from the university I need to push our research forward.”
Johnson, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences, asks her students to consider the ethics and societal impact of advances in the physical sciences, technology and engineering but to do so in the proper context. “Since students know so little about science in the past, I try to show them how people tried to solve the problems in front of them and how clever and insightful they were in understanding the natural and human worlds,” says Johnson. “Past explanations might be considered wrong now, but they usually made sense. This
Carolina Trustee Professorship
is much better, to me, than chastising people
Katherine R. Chaddock, professor, education leadership
in the past for ‘getting it wrong.’”
and policies, College of Education
—Craig Brandhorst
“My selection will certainly re-energize my motivation for working with my truly accomplished students and conducting exemplary research. And it will provide a boost to my role as head of the Richard Greener Memorial Planning Committee that is working toward getting a campus memorial to Greener, the university’s first black faculty member in the 1870s.” Maureen H. Carrigan, professor, psychology, USC Aiken “My own passion for the field of clinical psychology is my key to inspiring students. It’s difficult to excite students if you are not excited yourself.” S. Michael Angel, professor and Fred M. Weissman Palmetto Chair in Chemical Ecology, chemistry and biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences “As a teacher and researcher I have been very lucky to have top-notch students and supportive colleagues — they make me look good.”
uscTIMES Vol. 24, No.10 | May 30, 2013
USC Times is published 20 times a year for the faculty and staff of the University of South Carolina by the Division of Communications. Managing editor: Liz McCarthy Designer: Linda Dodge Contributors: Peggy Binette, Craig Brandhorst, Frenché Brewer, Glenn Hare, Thom Harman, Chris Horn, Page Ivey, Steven Powell, Megan Sexton, Jeff Stensland and Marshall Swanson Photographers: Kim Truett
To reach us: 803-777-2848 or lizmccarthy@sc.edu Campus correspondents: Patti McGrath, Aiken Candace Brasseur, Beaufort Shana Dry, Lancaster Jane Brewer, Salkehatchie Misty Hatfield, Sumter Tammy Whaley, Upstate Annie Smith, Union
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, sexual orientation or veteran status.