Eight faculty in the UMR School of Mines and Metallurgy recently received excellence in teaching awards.
The Dean’s Award for Innovation and Teaching is given based on nominations from faculty, staff and students for a major achievement in the improvement of teaching. The recipient of this award received $1,000.
The Sustained Excellence in Lab Instruction Award is given based on lab teaching evaluations and the number of students enrolled in his/her labs over the past six semesters. The Most Improved Lab Instruction Award is given based on teaching evaluation rating increases since coming to UMR.
"It has been recognized for many years that lab instruction commonly takes more time than normal courses, and that the rewards for excellence in lab instruction are not commensurate with the time commitment," says Dr. Robert Laudon, associate dean of geology and geophysics and a member of the awards committee.
Recipient of the Dean’s Award for Innovation and Teaching is Dr. Derek Apel, assistant professor of mining engineering, for developing of an online master of engineering degree program in mining engineering. The program was developed with no outside funding and no department funding, and includes 12 lab experiments that fit in with the mining engineering curriculum.
Recipients of the UMR Sustained Excellence in Lab Instruction Award: — Dr. Eric Bohannan, x-ray diffraction specialist in the UMR Materials Research Center. — Dr. William Fahrenholtz, assistant professor of ceramic engineering. — Dr. Larry Grayson, chair and professor of mining engineering. — Dr. Scott Miller, assistant professor of metallurgical engineering. — Dr. David Wronkiewicz, associate professor of geology and geophysics.
Recipients of the Most Improved Lab Instruction Award: — Dr. Von L. Richards II, the Robert V. Wolf Professor of Metallurgical Engineering. — Dr. Akira Tokuhiro, assistant professor or nuclear engineering and director of the UMR Nuclear Reactor.