At the faculty welcome reception held Sept. 11, Dean Barbara Schaal presented the annual Arts & Sciences faculty awards. This year's awardees were Eric Brown, Amanda Carey, Jean Allman, and Geoff Childs.
Dean Schaal established both the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Faculty Leadership Award in 2014 as a way to recognize exceptional commitment to Arts & Sciences and its students. The David Hadas Teaching Award, which recognizes excellence in teaching first-year undergraduates, was also presented.
The David Hadas Teaching Award
Geoff Childs, Professor of Anthropology
Childs joined the WashU faculty in 2002. Shortly thereafter, he began teaching the large lecture course "Introduction to Cultural Anthropology." In recent course evaluations, first-year students praised Childs' energetic and highly visual teaching style. "Professor Childs is a fantastic teacher ... it was always worth waking up early to make it to lecture," wrote one student. In his accepting remarks, Childs thanked his colleagues, his wife, and Pamela Hadas. Hadas, who created the award in 2008 in honor of her husband, was in attendance at the event.
The Arts & Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award
Eric Brown, Associate Professor of Philosophy
In addition to his research in Greek and Roman philosophy and ethics, Brown teaches courses in classics, the interdisciplinary project in the humanities, and religious studies. In 2012 and 2013, the Graduate Student Senate recognized Brown for excellence in mentoring. He is deeply appreciated for his teaching at all levels, as stated in one of several enthusiastic nomination letters: "Whether teaching an introductory philosophy class, a course for IPH or an upper-level class in ancient philosophy, he is a dazzling teaches who inspires students to push themselves to unprecedented heights."
Amanda Carey, Senior Lecturer in Spanish
Since her arrival at Washington University in 2002, Carey has taught beginning, intermediate, and advanced Spanish grammar and conversation courses. She also creates and teaches courses taught out of University College. Students recognize her care and commitment to their success. As one student put it: “The most important part of having Ms. Carey as a teacher was the care she showed in her students' performance in the class and general well-being. ... Ms. Carey was genuinely engaged in making sure that her students were handling the tricky mix of college life and academics in a healthy and enjoyable fashion.”
The Arts & Sciences Faculty Leadership Award
Jean Allman, J.H. Hexter Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Center for the Humanities
Allman has held multiple leadership appointments in Arts & Sciences. From 2009-14, she chaired the history department. She currently serves on the Arts & Sciences Academic Planning Committee and directs the Center for the Humanities. Under Allman's leadership, the Center for the Humanities has embarked on several exciting projects, including a 4-year grant from the Mellon Foundation for "The Divided City: An Urban Humanities Initiative." In her accepting remarks for the Faculty Leadership Award, Allman called directing the center "the best job in the world" and stressed the importance of the humanities to fields such as medicine, business, and foreign policy.
