Dr. Edna Wangui, an associate professor in geography, gives an acceptance speech for the Faculty Award for Excellence in Global Engagement during The Global Engagement Awards Gala for International Education Week on November 16, 2016.
From Compass
Dr. Nuket Sandal and Dr. Edna Wangui were among the four Ohio University professors on honored on April 6 with the University Professor award.
This year’s University Professor recipients are (from left) Nukhet Sandal, Chao-Yang Lee, Beth Novak and Elizabeth Wangui. Photographer: Brady Menegay
The University Professor award recognizes outstanding teaching at the University. Since its founding in 1970, the program has recognized over 200 professors for their teaching excellence.
Sandal is Assistant Professor of Political Sciences and Director of War & Peace Studies Program. Wangui is Associate Professor of Geography.
About the University Professor Awards
Each honored faculty receives a monetary stipend and the opportunity to teach a course of their choosing, as a means of enriching the undergraduate curriculum.
“The University Professor award is unique, not just here at OHIO but across the nation, and I am very proud to be associated with it,” said Center for Teaching & Learning Director Tim Vickers.
Recipients are chosen annually from nominations collected from the OHIO student body. Each fall semester, students nominate faculty to be considered for the award, as well as a selection committee composed of 10–14 undergraduate students. This committee holds intensive interviews with 10 faculty finalists and observes each of them in class.
“In the students’ UP nomination ballots, we see words that stand out—adjectives like inspirational, knowledgeable, challenging, amazing, caring, passionate,” said Vickers. “What really distinguishes these great faculty members is the care they have for their students. They all have this amazing ability to bring out the best of those who work with them.”
“I feel very honored to receive this prestigious award from our students,” said Sandal. “It is always gratifying to be recognized by one’s colleagues, but ultimately, why we are in this field is the students, whom I call our junior colleagues.”
“I am truly honored to receive this award because the student-led process makes the award particularly meaningful,” said Chao-Yang Lee, another of this year’s recipients. “It shows that students do care about their education—not just grades—and that they are willing to acknowledge a teacher’s effort.”
Speakers at this year’s awards ceremony included Interim President David Descutner and Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Planning Howard Dewald; attendees included winners from each of the past five decades and former University President Charles Ping.
About the 2017–18 University Professor Recipients
Chao-Yang Lee, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Lee’s proposed course, “Uniquely Human: The Science Behind Speech Communication,” will explore speech anatomy and physiology, acoustics and perception. This knowledge will empower students to understand why certain sounds are preferred by all languages, why men tend to round their lips while talking but women don’t, why Demi Lovato can’t quite hit the high note but Idina Menzel can in “Let It Go” and how speech scientists can help to solve murder cases.
Beth Novak, Media Arts and Studies
Novak’s proposed course is titled “Immersive Environments.” This course will dive into different content delivery methods (e.g., video games, movies, podcasts, theme parks, virtual reality, etc.) that will allow students to study narrative, business and social impact, technology, community, building and disruption, process of development and more.
“The opportunity to teach an interdisciplinary course that interests students from across campus is rare,” said Novak. “I value different perspectives and approaches and look forward to learning just as much from this experience as the students.”
Nukhet Sandal, Political Science
Sandal’s proposed course is titled “Leadership and Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice.” She will focus on causes of conflicts at multiple levels, as well as different approaches to conflict. This course will mostly study national and international conflicts. Students will learn and practice principled negotiation and mediation through role play and case studies.
E. Edna Wangui, Geography
Wangui’s proposed course is “Global Problems, Local Solutions,” in which students will focus on the work of locally generated initiatives to address problems that have global drivers, such as human trafficking, a growing number of refugees, climate change, food insecurity, and more. The course will feature key local activists and their work, as well as ways local communities can be supported more broadly.
“As teachers, we always take risks as we introduce new topics, use new methodologies or challenge our students’ world view,” said Wangui. “This award tells me that the risks I have taken have paid off.”
Last year’s University Professor honorees were:
Michele Clouse, History
Michele Morrone, Social & Public Health
Michael Pfahl, Sports Administration
John Sabraw, Art + Design
The awards ceremony was made possible by the Center for Teaching & Learning in the Office of Instructional Innovation, with support from University College.
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