Outstanding Teaching Award

Purpose

The Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes and rewards outstanding Engineering educators for excellence in teaching and for contributions to the art of teaching. These teaching awards are established to confer honor on individuals whose inspiration and contributions to learning are truly memorable.

Award

The name of the award is “PSEAS Outstanding Teaching Award.” Each recipient receives a memento. Funding is made possible through annual gifts from Engineering alumni and friends. The award is presented annually. A maximum of three faculty from University Park and two faculty from non-University Park locations may be selected at the discretion of the selection committee. Fewer recipients may be selected at the discretion of the dean. 

Eligibility

All full-time Penn State faculty whose teaching assignments primarily consist of College of Engineering degree courses are eligible.

Qualifications

All candidates must have:

  • completed at least three years of teaching experience while on a full-time appointment in the College of Engineering prior to nomination;
  • taught at least two different classroom or laboratory courses per year during two out of the past three years;
  • demonstrated success as a teacher by combining competence of subject matter with an ability to inspire students to higher levels of scholarship;
  • improved the tools of and/or conditions for teaching, including the revising or writing of new textbooks, and the development of courses, curricula and/or laboratory or other teaching equipment; and
  • demonstrated teaching effectiveness in a manner that substantially exceeds the normal expectation for a faculty member.

Nominations

Nominations may be initiated by Engineering students, faculty or department heads. Each nomination must, however, be submitted to the head of the candidate’s academic unit for review and approval prior to submission to the Dean”s Office.

Each nomination should consist of:

  • a completed nomination form which includes specific examples detailing how the nominee embodies the spirit of the award;
  • a one-page letter of nomination from the initiator;
  • a maximum of three letters of support from faculty, students, staff, or administrators;
  • each support letter will be one page in length and will have one signature.

Selection

A committee appointed by the Dean of Engineering will make selection. The committee will consist of PSEAS representatives, recent past award recipient, and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Professional Graduate Education.

Frequency

Past recipients are not eligible for a period of three years.