Dr. Allan Pringle, professor of physics at the University of Missouri-Rolla, was named a Curators’ Teaching Professor during UMR commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 17.

The University of Missouri Board of Curators approved the designation at its Oct. 7 meeting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The Curators’ Teaching Professorship was established at UMR in 1990 to honor outstanding professors, call attention to teaching excellence at UMR, and foster improvements in teaching and learning.

“The selection by the Board of Curators of Dr. Pringle as Curators’ Teaching Professor is an excellent choice. He is an outstanding role model for his students in our physics department,” says UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III. “Professor Pringle is highly regarded among his peers for his innovation and creativity in the classroom, as well as his work with public school teachers and students, showing them the fun in physics.”

A member of the UMR faculty since 1985, Pringle has received seven Faculty Excellence Awards, three Outstanding Teaching Awards and two College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Teaching Awards from UMR. He also serves as a research investigator in UMR’s Graduate Center for Materials Research.

Pringle’s primary research interests include high-performance permanent magnets, neutron scattering and magnetic thin films. He is also active in teaching fundamentals of science to Missouri’s K-12 teachers to help improve science instruction in Missouri schools.

Pringle joined the UMR faculty as an assistant professor of physics in 1985. He was named associate professor in 1991 and professor in 1998.

Pringle earned bachelor of science, master of science and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1970, 1971 and 1981, respectively. He is a member of the American Physical Society, the APS Division of Condensed Matter Physics, Meramec Science and Technology Learning Center and Science Teachers of Missouri. He also advises the UMR chapter of the Society of Physics Students.