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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