Distinguished Teaching Awards

Many professional societies in the life sciences honor exceptional undergraduate teaching by conferring annual awards on selected members. The awards follow a process of defining eligibility criteria and then seeking and reviewing nominations. Awards are often sponsored by commercial partners, such as textbook publishers. Typically, award recipients are recognized during special ceremonies at the societies' annual meetings. In some instances, the award recipients are asked to submit articles to the society's journal or present a lecture during a special session of the annual meeting.

Several societies that confer distinguished teaching awards are listed below. The criteria for the awards are as distinctive as the societies. Some honor the mature scientist for lifelong achievements, while others recognize the young scientist at the beginning of a career. While many recognize formal teaching responsibilities, some awards honor professional service, instructional materials development, or mentoring undergraduate students in research.

Competitive mini-grants provide another mechanism for honoring undergraduate teaching. The Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, for example, offers mini-grants to faculty to help with research into novel curricular strategies, research projects involving students, and other professional development activities. The Society for College Science Teachers presents mini-grants to further the development and/or improvement of college science courses, enhance communication among college science teachers and researchers at all levels, or promote awareness of the significance of exceptional science teaching.

With the W.B. Saunders Company, the American Physiological Society sponsors the annual Arthur C. Guyton Physiology Teacher of the Year award for faculty who teach at the college or university level. Award recipients must be involved in classroom teaching and not exclusively the teaching of graduate students in a research laboratory.

An undergraduate teaching award presented by the American Phytopathological Society honors individuals with active responsibility for courses in plant pathology. It also recognizes the individual's distinguished proficiency in teaching, as indicated by development and effectiveness of courses taught.

At its 1997 meeting, the Faculty for Neuroscience formed a committee to evaluate criteria for teaching awards. Four past presidents of the organization taking part in that meeting were: (l to r) Dennison Smith, Neuroscience Program, Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio); W. Jeffrey Wilson, Psychological Sciences Department, Indiana University-Purdue University (Fort Wayne, Ind.); Julio J. Ramirez Psychology Department, Davidson College (Davidson, N.C.); and Gary L. Dunbar, Psychology Department, Central Michigan University (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.). National recognition for outstanding teaching had already been received by Dr. Ramirez from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and by Dr. Dunbar from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The American Society for Horticultural Science presents a lifetime achievement award for an outstanding undergraduate educator.

Each year, the American Society for Microbiology confers the Carski Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award to recognize a mature individual for distinguished teaching of microbiology to undergraduate students and for encouraging them to subsequent achievements.

The American Society of Agronomy presents an annual award for excellence in teaching. A second teaching award is presented to a young scientist demonstrating outstanding educational and service activities and showing superior potential for development in agronomy.

An Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education is bestowed annually by the American Society of Human Genetics to honor individuals whose impact on human genetics education has been recognized nationally or internationally as exceptional.

The American Society of Plant Physiologists presents an Excellence in Teaching Award, given for outstanding teaching, leadership in curricular development, or authorship of effective teaching materials in the science of plant biology.

Annually, the Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs confers an Award for Education in Neuroscience in recognition of outstanding contributions to research and education in the neurosciences.

The Botanical Society of America offers annual awards to current or past members who have made unique contributions to the teaching of botany. The society also presents an award each year to recognize a member's outstanding support and contributions to the society's Teaching Section.

An annual award is given by the Crop Science Society of America for excellence in teaching of crop science at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The society also offers an annual award to a crop scientist with a distinguished career and record of service, to include outstanding teaching. A third award recognizes young crop scientists who have made outstanding contributions in any area of crop science, including teaching.

The Entomological Society of America presents an annual Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching. Award recipients have demonstrated excellence through: innovations in the development of new courses, programs, and teaching methods; publication of books, scholarly articles, or teaching materials; or professional service to student organizations or scholastic fraternities.

The William H. Weston Award for Excellence in Teaching of Mycology is awarded by the Mycological Society of America. Award recipients are honored for their exceptional interest in teaching, enthusiasm for the subject, innovative and special teaching techniques, ability to present clearly ideas or concepts, capacity to motivate students, concern for students, and the characteristic of going above and beyond normal teaching duties.

Through a variety of annual awards, the National Association of Biology Teachers recognizes outstanding biology educators for excellence in classroom instruction and contributions to the biology profession. These include the following designations: outstanding biology teaching, distinguished service, two-year college biology teaching, four-year college biology teaching, biotechnology teaching, outstanding new biology teaching, and excellence in encouraging equity.

The National Science Teachers Association sponsors a number of annual teaching awards. The most prestigious award recognizes a person who has made outstanding contributions to and provided leadership in science education at the national level and to the society in particular. In addition, several awards are given to science teachers (kindergarten through college level) who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of science education. Sponsored by the Ohaus Corporation, the Gustav Ohaus awards encourage and honor science teachers who have developed innovative programs in one of the following areas: new curriculum design, instructional methods or techniques, unique organization, administrative patterns, new approach to laboratory activities, or other enhanced learning activity for students. A special award honors an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science education in a nontraditional setting, such as a science-technology center, museum, or community science center.

The Poultry Science Association, in conjunction with Purina Mills, presents an annual award for teaching to a member who, over a period of years, has demonstrated outstanding success as a teacher.

With financial support from Kendall/Hunt, the Outstanding Undergraduate Science Teacher Award is given annually by the Society for College Science Teachers. This award recognizes and rewards achievements and contributions in the enhancement of science education by teachers of undergraduate science.

The Soil Science Society of America gives an annual award that recognizes educational achievements in soil science. Soil scientists making outstanding educational contributions through such activities as campus, extension, or industrial education are eligible for nomination.