Kemper awards presented to 20 professors

By Haley Jones

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Twenty professors from both the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas Medical Center have each received a $5,000 W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence.

The awards, given away for 13 years at the University, were established to recognize professors who had demonstrated excellence in teaching and advising.

Chancellor Robert Hemenway led a surprise patrol that presented professors with awards between Aug. 21 and Sept. 2.

The awards are supported by $650,000 from the William T. Kemper Foundation and $650,000 from the Kansas University Endowment Association in matched funds. The 20 fellowships distributed this year amounted to $100,000.

Hannah Britton, associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and political science, received a Kemper award Aug. 27. Britton said the programs she was involved in were nurturing environments for improving her teaching in innovative ways.

“The idea is to create a classroom environment where we can learn from our students as well — where we’re able to take intellectual chances and risks,” Britton said.

She said her outstanding undergraduate and graduate students were part of the reason she was selected for the award.

Britton said she had done research in South Africa on female political leaders that related to her teaching at the University.

“My research nurtures my teaching and my teaching nurtures my research,” Britton said.

Hossein Saiedian, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and winner of a Kemper fellowship, agreed that his students were a source of inspiration and motivation for him in his teaching.

He said winning the award made him feel a responsibility to present the standard of excellence the University wanted to convey to its students and the community.

Jon Tunge, associate professor of chemistry and winner of a Kemper fellowship, said his love of his material motivated him to want to share his knowledge of chemistry with others.

He also said that knowing his teaching had helped his students was encouraging.

“When students drop me a note to say how easy the chemistry section on the MCATs was or how they appreciated learning, that’s something that motivates you to do as good or better next time,” Tunge said.

Shannon O’Lear, associate professor of geography and winner of a Kemper fellowship, said she liked the way geography had made her look at the world and she wanted to share that with others.

“It’s hard to get people interested in a subject if you’re not interested yourself,” O’Lear said.

O’Lear said she would use the money to hire an undergraduate to help her with research for one of her projects.

Both Tunge and Saiedian said they planned to put some of the $5,000 toward their own children’s college funds.

Saiedian said he wanted to use some of the funds from the fellowship toplan a retreat later this semester for his students. Britton said she wasn’t sure how she would spend the money, but she might put it towards another trip to Africa.

1. Hannah Britton, associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and political science

2. Elizabeth Asiedu, associate professor of economics and associate chair and director of graduate studies for the department of economics

3. Marta Caminero-Santangelo, associate professor of English

4. Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry

5. Shannon O’Lear, associate professor of geography and environmental studies

6. Michael Detamore, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering

7. Hossein Saiedian, professor and associate chair of electrical engineering and computer science

8. Ward Thompson, associate professor of Chemistry

9. Jon Tunge, associate professor of chemistry

10. Wanda Bonnel, RN, Ph.D, professor of geriatric nursing and nursing education

11. Won Choi, Ph.D, professor of preventive medicine and public health

12. John Hoopes, associate professor of anthropology

13. John Nalbandian, professor of public administration

14. Kristi Neufeld, assistant professor of molecular bioscience

15. Raj Bhala, distinguished professor in school of law

16. Lori Messinger, Associate professor of social welfare and director of the bachelor’s in social welfare program

17. Glen White, director of the Research and Training Center on Independent Living and professor of applied behavioral science

18. Mary Banwart, associate professor of communications studies

Two fellowships remain, both of which were to be announced at the KU Med Center.

— - Edited by Scott Toland

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