Faculty Teaching Awards

Faculty in the College of Natural Sciences are among the winners of numerous prestigious awards for teaching and service in higher education.

Award-Winning Educators

17

In Academy of Distinguished Teachers

32

Regents Outstanding Teaching Awards 

6

Minnie Stevens Piper Statewide Teaching Awards

Nearly every undergraduate at The University of Texas at Austin receives instruction from College of Natural Sciences faculty, including many current faculty who have won state, national and campus awards for their teaching.


State, System & Campus Awards

Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Awards
  • Michael Downer (Physics)
  • Brent L. Iverson (Chemistry)
  • Calvin Lin (Computer Science)
  • Shelley Payne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Peter Stone (Computer Science)
  • Uri Treisman (Mathematics)
Regents Outstanding Teaching Awards
  • Eric Anslyn (Chemistry)
  • Volker Bromm (Astronomy)
  • Ruth Buskirk (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Mark Daniels (Mathematics)
  • Arturo De Lozanne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Michael Downer (Physics)
  • Michael Drew (Neuroscience)
  • Fatima Fakhreddine (Chemistry)
  • Leanne Field (Public Health)
  • Janice Fischer (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Kristen Grauman (Computer Science)
  • Jeffrey Gross (Molecular Biociences)
  • Simon M. Humphrey (Chemistry)
  • Brent L. Iverson (Chemistry)
  • Cynthia LaBrake (Chemistry)
  • Anita Latham (Biology Instructional Office)
  • David Laude (Chemistry)
  • Calvin Lin (Computer Science)
  • Jennifer Moon (Biology Instructional Office)
  • Alison Norman (Computer Science)
  • Shelley Payne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • K. Sata Sathasivan (Biological Instructional Office)
  • Michael D. Scott (Computer Science)
  • Michael Starbird (Mathematics)
  • Elizabeth Stepp (Mathematics)
  • Peter Stone (Computer Science)
  • Uri Treisman (Mathematics)
  • David A. Vanden Bout (Chemistry/Dean)
  • Etienne Vouga (Computer Science)
  • Deborah Walker (Chemistry)
  • Don E. Winget (Astronomy)
  • Bill Wolesensky (Mathematics)
Academy of Distinguished Teachers

UT Austin Academy of Distinguished Teachers

  • Eric V. Anslyn (Chemistry)
  • Volker Bromm (Astronomy)
  • Ruth Buskirk (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Arturo De Lozanne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Michael Downer (Physics)
  • Kristen Grauman (Computer Science)
  • Brent L. Iverson (Chemistry)*
  • David A. Laude (Chemistry)
  • Calvin Lin (Computer Science)
  • Michael Marder (Physics)
  • John Markert (Physics)
  • Shelley M. Payne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Greg Sitz (Physics)
  • Michael P. Starbird (Mathematics)*
  • Peter Stone (Computer Science)
  • Uri Treisman (Mathematics)
  • Donald E. Winget (Astronomy)

Also a member of the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers

President’s Associates Teaching Awards
  • Ruth Buskirk (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Arturo De Lozanne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Michael Downer (Physics)
  • Michael Drew (Neuroscience)
  • Andy Ellington (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Leanne Field (Public Health)
  • Keely Finkelstein (Astronomy)
  • Janice Fischer (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Marci Gleason (Human Development and Family Sciences)
  • Antonio Gonzalez (Freshman Research Initiative)
  • Vernita Gordon (Physics)
  • Amanda Hager (Mathematics)
  • Cynthia Labrake (Chemistry)
  • Laura Lashinger (Nutritional Sciences)
  • Anita Latham (Biology Instructional Office)
  • Calvin Lin (Computer Science)
  • John Markert (Physics)
  • Jennifer Moon (Biology Instructional Office)
  • Alison Norman (Computer Science)
  • Shelley Payne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Sally Ragsdale (Statistics and Data Sciences)
  • Michael Scott (Computer Science)
  • Jonathan Sessler (Chemistry)
  • Greg Sitz (Physics)
  • Michael Starbird (Mathematics)
  • Elizabeth Stepp (Mathematics)
  • David Vanden Bout (Chemistry/Dean)
  • Bill Wolesensky (Mathematics)
  • Harold Zakon (Neuroscience/Integrative Biology)
Jean Holloway Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • Eric Anslyn (Chemistry)
  • Brent Iverson (Chemistry)
  • Arturo De Lozanne (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Nace Golding (Neuroscience)
  • Amanda Hager (Mathematics)
  • David A. Laude (Chemistry)
  • Calvin Lin (Computer Science)
  • Michael P. Starbird (Mathematics)
  • John Wallingford (Molecular Biosciences)
Dads’ Association Centennial Teaching Fellows
  • Ruth Buskirk (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Michael Downer (Physics)
  • Fatima Fakhreddine (Chemistry)
  • Keely Finkelstein (Astronomy)
  • Steven Finkelstein (Astronomy)
  • Amanda Hager (Mathematics)
  • Cynthia Labrake (Chemistry)
  • Anita Latham (Molecular Biosciences) 
  • Timothy Riedel (Freshman Research Initiative)
  • K. Sata Sathasvian (Biology Instruction Office)
  • Michael Scott (Computer Science)
  • Michael Starbird (Mathematics)
  • Donald E. Winget (Astronomy)
Texas 10/Texas Exes Awards
  • Ruth Buskirk (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Inderjit Dhillon (Computer Science)
  • Işıl Dillig (Computer Science)
  • Lauren Ehrlich (Molecular Biosciences) 
  • Fatima Fakhreddine (Chemistry)
  • David Hoffman (Molecular Biosciences)
  • Brent Iverson (Chemistry)
  • Laura Lashinger (Nutritional Sciences)
  • David A. Laude (Chemistry)
  • Michael Marder (Physics)
  • Michela Marinelli (Neuroscience)
  • Theresa Martines (Mathematics)
  • Alison Norman (Computer Science)
  • Michael Starbird (Mathematics)
  • Sara Stewart Stevens (Textiles and Apparel)
  • William Wolesensky (Mathematics)
Provost’s Distinguished Leadership Service Academy
  • Jen Moon (Biology Instruction Office)
  • Su Yeong Kim (Human Development & Family Sciences)

Graduate Education & Mentoring Excellence Awards 

College of Natural Sciences Mentoring Excellence Winners
  • Caroline Farrior (Integrative Biology)
  • Justin Havird (Integrative Biology)
  • Fatima Varner (Human Development & Family Sciences)
Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award Winners
  • Aprile Benner (Human Development & Family Sciences)

CNS Teaching Excellence Awards 

College of Natural Sciences Teaching Excellence Winners since 2018

2024 Teaching Awards

Biology Instruction Office  Kristen Procko 
Chemistry Graeme Henkelman 
Statistics and Data Sciences Layla Parast
Freshman Research Initiative Mary Ramsey 
Biology Instruction Office Martha Maas * 
Mathematics Alisa Walch * 
Molecular Biosciences Despoina Mavridou 
Nutritional Sciences Michele Hockett Cooper 
Neuroscience Marcel Goldschen-Ohm
Physics Andrew Loveridge 
Textiles & Apparel Deborah Sztenjnberg 
UTeach Alexandra Eusebi 

* Winner of Stanley J Roux, Jr. Excellence in Experiential Teaching Award Winners

 

2023 Teaching Awards

Biology Instruction Office/Freshman Research Initiative/Molecular Biosciences Greg Clark
Chemistry Devleena Semanta
Computer Science Işil Dillig
Freshman Research Initiative/Chemistry Pedro Metola
Integrative Biology Melissa Kemp
Mathematics Theresa Martines
Public Health/Human Ecology Marilyn Felkner
Neuroscience Román Corfas
Physics Jonathan Perry
Textiles & Apparel Jessica Ciarla

 

 

2022 Teaching Awards

Biology Instruction Office Laura Gonzalez
Chemistry Zachariah Page
Computer Science Angela Beasley
Freshman Research Initiative Tim Riedel
Integrative Biology Amelia Wolf
Mathematics Alex Macedo
Molecular Biosciences Johann Eberhart
Neuroscience Michela Marinelli
UTeach Pamela Elias
UTeach Deanna Buckley

2021 Teaching Awards

Astronomy Keith Hawkins
Biology Instruction Office Ann Thijs
Computer Science Sarah Abraham
Freshman Research Initiative Soo Hyun Yang
Human Development and Family Sciences Fatima Varner
Mathematics Kathryn Dabbs
Mathematics Shinko Harper
Nutritional Sciences Ladia Hernandez
Physics Aaron Zimmerman
Statistics and Data Sciences KyongJoo Hong
UTeach Accelerate Ariel J. Taylor

2020 Teaching Awards

Astronomy Caitlin Casey
Biology Instruction Office Katie Bruner
Chemistry Stacy Sparks
Chemistry Lauren Webb
Computer Science Glenn Downing
Computer Science Etienne Vouga
Freshman Research Initiative Dennis Mishler
Freshman Research Initiative Elizabeth Ilardi
Molecular Biosciences David Taylor
Nutritional Sciences Laura Lashinger
Physics Vernita Gordon

2019 Teaching Awards

Astronomy Stella Offner
Computer Science Scott Niekum
Human Development and Family Sciences Karen Fingerman
Integrative Biology Travis LaDuc
Mathematics Joel Niebert
Molecular Biosciences Jessie Zhang
Neuroscience Michael Mauk
Nutritional Sciences Drew Hays
Physics Christina Markert
Statistics & Data Sciences Michael Mahometa
UTeach Kelli Allen

2018 Teaching Awards

Chemistry Carlos Baiz
Mathematics Kathy Davis
Biology Instruction Office Kristin Patterson
Integrative Biology Stephen Phelps
Chemistry Emily Que
Statistics & Data Sciences Sally Ragsdale
Nutritional Sciences Stefano Tiziani