“Having more than 40 years of classroom experience to perfect the art of teaching, 80-plus publications in academic and scientific journals, more than 500 invited lectures and having presented three times in front of the United States Congress, Dr. Golden has amplified what it means to be a teacher by not only being at the top of his field but also by creating a safe and inclusive environment where students can be challenged to reach their full potential.”

“Dr. Fischer’s work is high quality. He partners with school administrations and state agencies to ensure that the knowledge gained from the research that he is doing is appropriate for their settings. Outcome measures are developed in partnership with the school and the other health care providers who interface with the school. He is a tremendous mentor, and his students and graduates speak highly of his support but also of the rigor with which he conducts his research and the support that he gives mentees to pursue their goals.”

For the past 10 years, Amos Guiora has been researching, writing and lecturing on the question of bystanders (originally in the Holocaust) resulting in his books, "The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust," and "Armies of Enablers: Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assaults." Guiora directs the S.J. Quinney College of Law Bystander Initiative, which is the recipient of the $1,000 award associated with this distinction.

“Shannon leverages her unique relational abilities to inspire, educate and connect with people on an extremely authentic level. She deeply cares about the people in her life, and this compassion and connection is inextricable from her capacity to mentor community members, students and faculty about the myriad ways that community engagement and service affects our lives.”

“Dr. Ullman’s extraordinary trajectory as a mentor, both at the individual and institutional level, makes her a very worthy candidate for the University of Utah Distinguished Mentor Award. She has a demonstrated and long-lasting commitment to the success and well-being of trainees, reflected by her relentless efforts to identify and address barriers to career success and by her active role in building a better infrastructure for mentorship. She continuously seeks to gain better tools and resources by which to better provide advice and help a diverse pool of trainees, sincerely wishing to be a highly impactful advocate in their careers. She puts a high priority on seeking ways to improve student experience and support, and contributes meaningfully at many levels to student mentorship.”

“Dr. Parker is a world-renowned physicist with a stellar reputation. His body of work is very impressive. His primary motivation is to do good science. However, he is equally, if not more driven by the desire to see his trainees and colleagues succeed. He is a tireless supporter and spends innumerable hours working so that those around him can be successful in both their early and established careers. He doesn’t just provide generalized advice, but substantive, dedicated time. Even in his ‘golden years,’ his hobby is helping his students and colleagues. His attitude is contagious.”

"As a researcher, Dr. Ono is the award-winning author of university-press books, scores of high-ranking articles and numerous book chapters articulating cultural representations of race and identity in the media. To say that Dr. Ono’s career thus has offered a model for upcoming scholars in their efforts to study the cultural circulation of inequity and disenfranchisement would be an understatement. The mentoring that takes place at this level plays out both for the students Dr. Ono works closely with at the University of Utah day-in-and-day-out, and for students who are reading his research across the country and the globe.”

“Dr. Wilcox is a dedicated contributor to the educational missions of the University and her profession and engages in superb individual instruction/mentoring that is recognized nationally for its distinguished quality. … She is one of those select faculty members whose achievements in research exemplify the highest goals of the research mission and which have been recognized by her peers at the national and international levels. Dr. Wilcox also demonstrates exceptional commitment to teaching and, especially mentoring, with her mentoring having been formally recognized by her trainees and the National Institutes of Health for its exceptional quality.”

“Dr. Ono is one of the most significant and transformational living scholars in the field of communication, as well as in the broader collection of disciplines under the umbrella of humanities. His record of achievement and international and national recognition attests to this fact. Dr. Ono is a superior candidate for this rank, which 'is reserved for selected individuals whose achievements exemplify the highest goals of scholarship as demonstrated by recognition accorded to them from peers with national and international stature, and whose record includes evidence of high dedication to teaching as demonstrated by recognition according to them by students and/or colleagues.'”

“What we have in Professor Christison is a remarkable individual whose entire career has been marked by distinguished service to her students, her institution, her profession and everyone she has been in a position to help, both locally and globally. Most of her service has been quiet and unassuming; she serves from her heart rather than to draw attention to herself. It has nevertheless taken her to the top of her profession, where she has demonstrated outstanding leadership, wisdom, hard work and perseverance in the face of enormous challenges. Importantly, as the international TESOL organization made clear when they awarded her their highest distinction, she has not only provided distinguished service to the profession but has done so over the span of her entire career.”

“Professor Morse’s substantial work exemplifies the highest goals of scholarship and research and he is internationally viewed as a leading expert in the experimental study of small transition metal, lanthanide and actinide molecules. His most recent work is setting the standard for these species and is crucially needed for benchmarking computational chemistry. At the same time, he is dedicated to teaching, mentoring and providing service to the profession and the local community at the highest level.”

“Professor Brown is a nationally recognized engineering leader. He has made highly significant contributions to the university’s mission of teaching, research and service. He has had an important impact on engineering education in the college. His research has unlocked new knowledge and contributed to economic development and to advances in microelectronics, bio-engineering and environmental engineering. His achievements as a member of the University of Utah faculty exemplify the highest goals of scholarship and research.”

“Professor RonNell Andersen Jones is the rare faculty member who is simultaneously a foremost scholar in her field, one of the college’s most popular teachers and dedicated mentors and an unfailingly generous institutional citizen. She can claim credit for sparking some of the most significant policy conversations on press freedom of the last two decades and for launching the careers of dozens of federal law clerks and public-interest lawyers. A leading thinker of her generation in the development of the constitutional theory of press protection, her performance as a scholar and researcher has been widely celebrated.”

“Brett Clark’s research broadly examines the human dimensions of environmental change. This includes analyzing the social drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and industrial pollution; studying the political-economic, historical and environmental conditions that influence the emergence of ecological problems; and assessing how the structure and organization of militarism contributes to unique forms of environmental degradation. He is one of the leading scholars developing and employing social metabolic analysis as a means to investigate environmental issues such as climate change and overfishing.”

“Valerio Pascucci is the inaugural John R. Parks Endowed Chair of Computing, the founding director of the Center for Extreme Data Management Analysis and Visualization (CEDMAV), a faculty of the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute and a professor of the School of Computing. His research interests include Big Data management and analytics, progressive multi-resolution techniques in scientific visualization, discrete topology and compression.”

“Dr. Welm started her laboratory at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2007. She now holds the Ralph E. and Willia T. Main Presidential Endowed Chair in cancer research and is senior director of Basic Science at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Work in her laboratory focuses on metastatic breast cancer, investigating mechanisms by which cancer cells transition from a period of latent disease to metastatic outgrowth, and how the immune system controls that process. She also develops and utilizes patient-derived tumor models to understand breast tumor evolution during metastasis, to identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities in metastatic tumors and to personalize therapy for breast cancer patients using functional drug testing in their tumor models.”

“Brian is outspoken about his desire to increase opportunities for students from many backgrounds. He takes students seriously and is able to encourage discussion and ideas from a multitude of students from different life and educational experiences. Beyond actively seeking out diverse opinions and opportunities for students to work with him, Brian regularly works to facilitate a supportive environment within the department. He repeatedly advocates at faculty, departmental and college levels for educational opportunities, programs and resources that support student success both inside and outside of the classroom.”

“Professor Hanson has been an esteemed teacher-scholar for the past 30 years and a transformational voice for the Department of Film & Media Arts through his teaching and academic leadership. During his career here, he has established himself as an outstanding teacher whose students have gone onward to much success; an accomplished and internationally known film producer; and a committed and engaged member of the university community, the Salt Lake Valley and Utah community and his professional community.”

“Dr. Holzner’s teaching is both aspirational and ambitious. He seeks to spark curiosity in students who often have an instrumental approach to academic life; motivate students to work hard in classes; encourage critical thinking about the course material and the information they receive outside of class; keep costs low; and ensure all students feel welcomed and valued, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic or national backgrounds.”

“Professor Nichols is a true mentor. His unwavering dedication to the protection of the outdoors and our public lands is mirrored in his commitment to his students. He is not simply invested in students’ classroom success but in their lifelong accomplishments. He has an incredible memory, remembering small details about each student that they have shared with him, as well as their interests, passions and aspirations. He goes above and beyond to share any and all resources he may have with that student to assist them in their personal or professional careers. He is beyond generous when it comes to connecting his students to people in the professional world.”

“The most important part of what makes Dr. Seegert a fantastic professor is his feedback. Where his lessons were beautifully written, intricate and thought-provoking, his feedback was equally as thoughtful but also appreciative and personal. Feedback is incredibly vital for students. Dr. Seegert was the first professor to give me substantial feedback on my assignments that was more than 'good work.' I was stunned, honestly, when he replied to my discussion posts. Not only did he comment in response to what I said, but he gave me recommendations for further reading and materials that I might enjoy based on the content in my responses.”

“Dr. De Grandi is an outstanding educator because of her persistent aspiration to evolve her teaching practice. I know from experience that she gives students many opportunities throughout the semester to provide feedback regarding the class. Furthermore, I know that she uses this information to shape how she proceeds in the classroom. Her commitment to enhancing her classrooms is one of the many ways that she is able to accommodate a wide range of student needs. As a future educator myself, I admire her devotion to education and her perspective on education as a constantly developing process. Dr. De Grandi’s willingness to adapt is something that all educators could benefit from.”

“The students in Entertainment Arts and Engineering are very fortunate to have Dr. Guajardo shaping such a supportive learning environment around them. She is one of the most dedicated instructors I have ever met, proactively attempting to recognize the potential needs of all students. Dr. Guajardo aims to prepare students for competitive careers in the game industry and she demonstrates an unwavering commitment to teaching through extensive preparation, professional development, continued engagement with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, as well as an open-minded attitude towards feedback and change.”

“Dr. Hochhalter has been at the University of Utah since 2018. Upon his arrival from NASA Langley, he immediately excelled in teaching both upper-level classes and large required undergraduate classes. His teaching methodologies are amazing and his rapport with the students is truly impressive. He was in the top 15% of graduate instructors in fall 2019 and spring 2021 and was in the top 15% of undergraduate instructors in spring 2019, fall 2019, spring 2020 and fall 2020 (a distinction given by the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering). In the summer of 2022, he was awarded an Outstanding Teaching Award from his college. The letters from students supporting his nominations were fantastic!”

“Dr. Barth-Cohen has been a leader in the College of Education in developing high-quality science education curriculum for her individual courses and in advancing college initiatives in STEM offerings. She has led multiple efforts to help solidify and grow the College of Education’s relationship with the university’s Center for Science and Math Education (CSME) and currently serves as a CSME faculty associate. She has been an exemplary faculty member who is dedicated and has made significant contributions to the undergraduate and graduate education at the department, college and university levels.”

“During my undergraduate career, Dr. Howe has been instrumental in my success by advising my applications for scholarships, graduate schools and research experiences; and by providing individual instruction on an advanced research project and related topics. I am extremely fortunate and grateful for Dr. Howe’s constant support and the positive impact he has had on my life and academic career. The personal impact of his guidance truly cannot be understated—he has proven to be an outstanding mentor in every manner possible, exhibiting extraordinary character and compassion for his students.”

“Talía’s extensive knowledge and experience lend a palpable sense of authority to her lectures. Because this makes it easy for students to take everything, she says at face value, a lesser teacher might be satisfied with relying on it too much. Instead, Talía uses lecture judiciously, stoking the class’s interest before setting in motion a deliberately sequenced set of activities. She is particularly adept at framing each class session to guide students toward objectives and learning outcomes for the day in non-intrusive ways. A recurring descriptor for her courses is that they are a participatory experience. My own observations bear this out, but what is perhaps less visible to students is the meticulous way that she models, scaffolds and then creates a space that allows students to come to their own conclusions.”

“Professor White has taught the best class I have taken in the honors college, and across all colleges, which is reflected in the popularity and selectivity his classes are subject to in registration. Professor White is both instructive and compassionate, perfectly balancing a dynamic where students both learn tremendously without adding undue stress about grades. I recommend anyone who needs an IT credit to take it from Professor White, who is easily among the best professors at this university.”

“While our teacher program addresses learner differences within traditional classroom settings, our attention to education from a broader perspective is limited. Dr. Gupta’s project proposal, 'Global Aspects in Teacher Education' will allow her students to explore teachers’ work in classrooms and schools across the globe. The addition of workshops and modules will only enhance our current curricula and will be critical in the preparation of future teachers as they consider students and families from many countries and nations. The focal themes of Dr. Gupta’s teaching will strengthen education programs at the University of Utah.”

“Chris is a superstar, one providing truly unique learning environments for our students, promoting highly innovative curricular and co-curricular experiences, and pushing all of us to work towards our shared ideals. In many years of being at the University of Utah, Chris is among the very best I have encountered. Moreover, Chris is truly a transformative instructor, who can take students from a starting point, to somewhere farther than they believed they could go. For this reason, I am deeply confident that Chris will be able to bring the potential benefits of his proposed course fully to students.”

Anthony Miller enrolled at the University of Utah in 2007. After completing the prerequisites for the College of Nursing, as well as working in the medical field for several years, he decided to take two summer courses to fulfill elective requirements. Those courses changed his trajectory dramatically: “Introduction to Teaching and Inclusive Early Childhood” and “Elementary Classrooms.” Watching his young daughter growing up, along with these two courses, he changed his major and began to pursue a degree in elementary education. After graduating in May 2012, with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, he accepted a sixth-grade position at Washington Elementary, where he has taught for the past 11 years in the upper grades. He regularly welcomes and mentors beginning teachers in his classroom, to help guide new educators into this great profession.

“Professor Pope came to the University of Utah to develop the Creative Advocacy Lab (CAL), an experiential course dedicated to promoting access to justice and democratizing legal information. The Creative Advocacy Lab explores modes of legal advocacy beyond traditional client representation, re-envisioning lawyers as community educators, problem-solvers and storytellers. In collaboration with community partners, students use creative tools—like design thinking, narrative, plain language writing and visual communication—to make legal information accessible to those who need it.”

This professorship offers faculty the opportunity to launch new projects in General Education that will make a difference in the student experience. For the next two years, Cynthia Furse will team-teach a three-credit course called “How your smartphone works, and how they are changing the world.” The course will use these devices to explore such questions as, “What’s inside my phone?” and “Where’s my data?" and “Who controls it?”

This professorship offers faculty the opportunity to launch new projects in General Education that will make a difference in the student experience. For the next two years, Michael Scarpulla will team-teach a three-credit course called “How your smartphone works, and how they are changing the world.” The course will use these devices to explore such questions as, “What’s inside my phone?” and “Where’s my data?" and “Who controls it?”