Eight Natural Sciences Faculty Receive 2013 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards

The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System has chosen 26 faculty members from The University of Texas at Austin to receive 2013 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards, its highest teaching honor.

The awards program is one of the nation’s largest monetary teaching recognition programs in higher education, honoring outstanding performance in the classroom and dedication to innovation in undergraduate instruction.

The educators will be honored during a ceremony Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center on the UT Austin campus. A total of $1.6 million will be awarded to winners from all 15 UT System institutions.

The recipients from the College of Natural Sciences are:

• Arturo De Lozanne, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences
• Cassandra Delgado-Reyes, assistant director and specialist, Texas Interdisciplinary Plan
• Simon M. Humphrey, assistant professor, Department of Chemistry
• Sonia Paban, associate professor, Department of Physics
• K. Sata Sathasivan, senior lecturer, Biological Instructional Office
• Elizabeth Stepp, lecturer, Department of Mathematics
• Peter Stone, professor, Department of Computer Science
• Don E. Winget, Harlan J. Smith Centennial Professor of Astronomy and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Astronomy and the McDonald Observatory

“We are deeply grateful to the regents for their ongoing commitment to honor our very best and most dedicated faculty. These awards recognize the immeasurable impact teachers have on our students, who will shape the future of our communities across Texas and the nation,” said UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa.

Established in 2008, the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards program recognizes educators who deliver the highest quality of undergraduate instruction through demonstrated excellence in teaching and sustained excellence in all aspects of instruction.

Faculty members undergo a series of rigorous evaluations by students, peer faculty members and external reviewers. The review panels consider a range of activities and criteria in their evaluations including classroom expertise, curricula quality, innovative course development and student learning outcomes.

“Undergraduate teaching is critical to the mission of our university,” said Steven Leslie, executive vice president and provost of The University of Texas at Austin. “During their years on campus, students are inspired to learn, think critically and solve society’s issues. These outstanding faculty members are shaping our next generation of leaders and problem-solvers. This recognition from the Board of Regents is well-deserved.”

James Karboski, award recipient and clinical professor in the College of Pharmacy, has been chosen to speak at the Board of Regents meeting on Wednesday, where the winners will be officially announced.

“I’m very proud to be part of a university system that acknowledges the importance of teaching,” Karboski said. “Guiding my students through a new concept and seeing the look in their eyes as they grasp it is an incredible thing. I am truly honored to receive the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award.”