DIGGS TEACHING SCHOLAR AWARDS - 1999

Congratulations to Ron Kander of Materials Science and Engineering, Mark Schneider of Architecture and Brenda S. J. Winkel of Biology, who were selected to receive the 1999 Diggs Teaching Scholar award. Twenty—eight teachers from seven different colleges were nominated for this award, and the newest Diggs Teaching Scholars hail from three different colleges–a first for this award. These three teaching scholars were recognized for their exceptional and continuing contributions at the Eighth Annual Diggs Award Ceremony, which was held in the Hillcrest Hall Dining Room on April 28, 1999, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. They each received a plaque, and they and their departments each received a $500 cash award. They became the latest members of the growing Diggs Program, which is dedicated to promoting excellence, imagination and commitment in teaching and student learning. This fall the newest Diggs Teaching Scholars will lead a roundtable discussion relating to their recent work. Details about the Diggs Roundtable will be available at the beginning of Fall Semester.

The Diggs Award Program was initiated in 1992 to recognize outstanding teaching and exceptional contributions to the teaching program and learning environment at Virginia Tech. This year’s scholars certainly epitomize the Diggs characteristics of innovation and dedication to the success of their students, their teaching practices, and their respective departments. CEUT is proud to welcome Ron, Mark and Brenda into the Diggs family.

Ron Kander, of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, is recognized for his outstanding teaching, curriculum development, and learning environment enhancement activities in the department, college, university and surrounding community. He is Director of the College of Engineering’s "Green Engineering" Program, a University concentration for engineering students, focusing on the environmental aspects of a student’s particular engineering discipline. He has initiated the Science on Wheels program, which brings science and engineering experiments into 5^th grade classrooms of nearby school districts in order to stimulate student interests in science. He is a demanding and enthusiastic teacher, whose classes are a blend of participatory active learning exercises, traditional classroom instruction, and electronic multimedia lecture delivery formats. He always has the students’ best interests in mind every day, and he is an inspiration to the younger faculty in his department. For the fall Roundtable, his discussion is entitled "Creativity and Problem Solving."

Mark Schneider, of the Foundation Studies Program in the Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the education of beginning Architecture students. He has transformed the two—semester History of Architecture course into a class which integrates the study of architectural history into the intellectual development of his students. He has developed a true insight into the needs of students who are at the beginning of their studies, and has created an environment in which students truly want to learn. In a class of 200 students, he reads student essays four times a semester, has initiated weekly small—group discussion sessions after lectures, and directs semester—long research projects. As one student remarked, "Dr. Schneider is truly an example of what a scholar is and ought to be." His fall Roundtable discussion will be on "Developing Educational Models for Beginning University Students."

Brenda S. J. Winkel, of the Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, is recognized for her exceptional success in blending research and teaching, especially in molecular biology. She has revamped the curriculum in that discipline and has been a leader in the mentoring of undergraduate students doing research. In addition, she has mentored a number of students in the University Honors Program, including Anna Leung, one of the 1999 Goldwater Scholars. These mentoring activities are all the more noteworthy in view of the fact that her only reward is the joy of seeing a student get excited about a research project. In the classroom, she creates a friendly and scholarly environment in which the students are encouraged to take an active role in learning. Her achievements, enthusiasm and cooperative spirit set a high standard for faculty and student alike. As a role model for young women scientists, she is invaluable. Her Roundtable topic is "Science as a Dynamic, Participatory Discipline: the Relationship between Teaching and Research."