Outstanding OSU faculty honored by Regents, share teaching philosophies

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Nine Oklahoma State University faculty members have been named the 2011 recipients of the Regents Distinguished Teaching Award.  This is the 21st year outstanding faculty members have been recognized for their expertise and dedication to teaching. The awards were approved during the meeting of the Oklahoma State University/A&M Board of Regents on Friday.  Receiving the prestigious awards are:

· Jack Dillwith, entomology and plant pathology professor

· Richard Bunce, chemistry professor

· Gary Webb, sociology associate professor

· Goutam Chakraborty, marketing professor

· Bridget Miller, applied health and education psychology associate professor

· Jamey Jacob, mechanical and aero-space engineering  professor and Booker professor

· Charles Hendrix, human development and family science associate professor

· Robin Allison, pathobiology associate professor

· Nedra Wilson, anatomy and cell biology associate professor

Each will receive a permanent annual salary increment of $1,000, plus fringe benefits.  Each college nominates up to three people for the award. A review and selection committee composed of an undergraduate and a graduate student, two faculty members at large, two department heads and the provost, identifies the winners. Each college has one recipient except the College of Arts and Sciences, which has two recipients due to the large number of faculty.

Dillwith received his B.S in biochemistry from California State Polytechnic College, his M.S. in organic chemistry from St Mary’s University and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Nevada-Reno. He joined the OSU faculty in 1986. “My teaching approach has evolved over the years driven primarily by my students,”  Dillwith said. “I try to stick to the basics and not be distracted by every teaching fad or gimmick that comes along.”

Bunce earned his B.S. in chemistry from Marietta College in Ohio and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Following a two-year appointment as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California-Berkeley, he joined the faculty at OSU in 1983.  “I strive to make the field of chemistry accessible to students at all levels,” Bunce said.  “And to actively involve our majors in scholarly pursuits by linking classroom learning to the creation of new knowledge in the laboratory.”

Webb received his B.S. in criminal justice and his M.S. in sociology from the University of North Texas, and his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Delaware.  He joined the OSU faculty in 2000.  "I work hard to demonstrate the relevance of theory and research to our daily lives," Webb said.  "With all of the enormous challenges we face in society today, the next generation must have the ability and willingness to confront and solve complex social problems."

Chakraborty received his B.Tech. with honors in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, his PGCGM in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, his M.S.  in Statistics from the University of Iowa, and his Ph.D. in Business from the University of Iowa. He joined the OSU faculty in 1991. “While I love to teach and care deeply about students' learning, I also believe in constantly pushing and challenging students to go above and beyond the normal call of duty,” Chakraborty said.  “I expect a lot out of my students, but I am also willing to walk that extra mile with them. I also believe that the best way to motivate and lead students is through examples set by the professor.”

Miller received her B.S. in biological sciences from the University of Nebraska, her M.Ed. in educational administration from the University of Texas, and her Ph.D. in behavioral health from the University of Texas.  She joined the OSU faculty in the Fall of 2004.  “I see my job as a teacher to provide students with multiple mastery opportunities to help them build their overall self-efficacy for success,” Miller said.  “My hope is that the confidence they gain through overcoming those challenges transfers to the other aspects of their academic, personal, and professional life.”

Jacob received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 and his M.S and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1992 and 1995, respectively. After spending 10 years as a professor at the University of Kentucky in the Mechanical Engineering Department, he returned to Oklahoma and is currently the Ray and Linda Booker Professor in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at OSU. "I have a passion for Oklahoma and aerospace engineering and I hope to see more intersections of these in the future,” Jacob said.  “OSU students are among the best in the nation and I am lucky to be able to work with them."

Hendrix received his B.S. in psychology, M.S. in counseling, and Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy, all from Kansas State University.  He joined the OSU faculty in 1989.  “Probably now more than any other time in my life, knowledge is growing at such a phenomenal rate that what students learn in class today will shortly be outdated, or irrelevant,” Hendrix said.  “What students can take with them that will last is the ability to think.”

Allison received an A.A.S. in animal health technology from Columbus Technical Institute in 1976, her DVM from Colorado State University in 1996, her PhD in pathology from Colorado State University in 2002, and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2003. She joined the OSU faculty in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in 2004. “A veterinarian in academia inspired me to follow my passion for clinical pathology and changed my life.” Allison said. “Enthusiasm for one’s profession can be contagious, and I hope all my students catch it from me!”  

Wilson received her B.S. in biology with cell emphasis from Northeastern State in Tahlequah and her Ph.D. from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She joined OSU faculty in 2005. “I believe that teaching is a synergistic process between student and teacher. For both sides to be successful requires that each is invested in the other’s success,” Wilson said.  “I strive to provide my students not only with an understanding of the course material but also how to critically approach a question. When students learn that they can derive an answer they previously didn’t know, they learn to have confidence in their own abilities.”