Prof. Jackie Roberts Receives Exemplary Teaching Award

November 5, 2003

November 5, 2003, Greencastle, Ind. - Jacqueline R. Roberts (seen at right in photo), associate professor of chemistry at DePauw University, is the recipient of the Exemplary Teaching Award for the 2003-04 academic year. The annual award is given jointly by DePauw University and the General Board of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church to recognize a faculty member who exemplifies excellence in teaching, civility and concern for students and colleagues, commitment to value-centered education, and service to students, the institution and the community.

In announcing Professor Roberts' award, Neal Abraham, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty said, "Her teaching of biochemistry has been deemed by colleagues and students to be inspiring. She has drawn students to study chemistry in more depth and breadth than the students themselves had first intended. Through her work with colleagues in the chemistry department she has contributed to a substantial redesign of the chemistry curriculum, placing biochemistry in more courses and in more places that make it more accessible to students in their early years of studying chemistry. In her teaching methodologies, she is innovative in finding ways to incorporate group work and student projects in subjects often treated solely by lecture and coventional laboratory exercises. As a consequence, it seems, her students gain a deeper appreciation for the subjects they are studying and a more complete engagement with their biochemistry course work during the semester."

Nominations for the award are solicited from faculty members. Dr. Roberts was selected from among 10 nominees. Abraham says the professor "has provided leadership for the development of the biochemistry major at DePauw which has attracted new science majors whose numbers have grown rapidly since the major was approved by the faculty 18 months ago. Jackie has also been a leader in national efforts, with substantial funding from the National Science Foundation, to develop new ways to teach biochemistry, particularly through the use of molecular models (both virtual and real).In her research work she has also steadily engaged students in collaborative research projects."

Previous recipients of the Exemplary Teaching Award are Tom Chiarella, Andrea Sununu, Valarie Ziegler, Craig Paré, John Dittmer, Terri Bonebright, Carl Singer and David Field. "Together they provide inspiration to all of us as models of DePauw's enduring commitment to the pre-eminent importance of creative and effective teaching by its faculty members," Dr. Abraham said.

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