Five Faculty Recognized for their Outstanding Achievements

Each year, these awards are given to exceptional members of the University of New Haven faculty who excel in leadership, creativity, education, and research. Faculty members are nominated by their colleagues or students. A committee of faculty members reviews the nominees and votes to select the winners.

Excellence in Research/Creative Activity

The Excellence in Research/Creative Activity Award was given to Claire Glynn, assistant professor of forensic science. The award honors a full-time faculty member who has demonstrated superior creativity and or success in his/her research or works of art over the last year.

A colleague wrote, "Claire has already been awarded a National Institute of Justice grant and continues to seek funding to move her research agenda forward but always seeks to enhance the resources of the department for student classes and projects."

 

Excellence in Leadership and Service

The Excellence in Leadership and Service Award was given to Chris Martinez, assistant professor of computer science. The award honors a full-time faculty member for outstanding leadership and service to the University community or to his or her profession.

One colleague wrote, "Chris has done amazing work as the chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee during an incredibly difficult time due to the introduction of the new core curriculum. His committee has reviewed hundreds of courses and program changes over the last couple of years in a complex period of transition."

 

Excellence in Teaching, Full Time Faculty

The Excellence in Teaching, Full Time Faculty Award was given to Summer McGee, chair of healthcare administration. The award honors a full-time faculty member who embodies the principles of excellence in teaching.

A student wrote "Dr. McGee allowed students to be creative and encouraged respect and appreciation for the students from various cultures to share the differences in their own countries as well as their perspective on the U.S. health care system. Dr. McGee encouraged us to appreciate what we have but also to be open to other cultures way of managing health care."

Excellence in Experiential Education

The Excellence in Experiential Education Award was given to Jean Nocito-Gobel, professor of environmental engineering and civil engineering. The award honors a faculty member who demonstrated outstanding experiential teaching techniques or who has been a champion of experiential education for the academic community.

One of the many supporting statements came from a colleague who said, "The ability to bring real-life and on-going projects into the classroom, and engaging students with applied projects and problems is the best form of education, one at which she excels at providing."

 

Excellence in Teaching, Part Time Faculty or Practitioner in Residence

The Excellence in Teaching, Part Time Faculty or Practitioner in Residence Award was given to Liberty Page, a practitioner-in-residence in computer science. The award honors an adjunct faculty member or practitioner-in-residence (PIR) who embodies the principles of excellence in teaching.

One colleague wrote, "She is the leading force for the VEX Robotics Competition, which connects students, mentors, and schools in every community to a variety of successful and engaging technology-based programs. I feel that Liberty loves what she does, which is reflected throughout the day when she interacts with students."
 

2017 Last Lecture

The 2017 Last Lecture was presented by psychology professor Michael Morris, who is retiring after nearly 40 years at the University. President Steve Kaplan selects the faculty member to deliver the last lecture, and that person’s identity is revealed just before the talk.

The last lecture series is modeled after a presentation made in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch, who delivered his "last lecture," titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood, a Dreams," a month after he received a prognosis that the pancreatic cancer, with which he had been diagnosed a year earlier, was terminal. He died ten months after giving the lecture. His talk became the basis for a New York Times bestseller.

A "last lecture" challenges top academics to think deeply about what matters to them and to give a hypothetical "final talk" in which they discuss the wisdom they would try to impart to the world if they knew it was their last chance.