The Poole & Kent Teaching Award for Senior Faculty

The Poole & Kent Teaching Award for Senior Faculty Award is given to a senior faculty member for excellence in teaching.

Nomination Form
Catherine Kuo stands between the award presenters holding her award plaque

2024 award winner Catherine Kuo with John Fisher and Tom Lynott at the 2024 Faculty & Staff Recognition Celebration. Photo by Greg Fiume.

The annual Poole & Kent Company Teaching Award for senior faculty in the Clark School of Engineering will recognize a faculty member with a plaque and a cash award (processed through payroll).

Nominations from faculty, staff, and students are being solicited, one per academic department. Please work with the faculty member’s respective department to gather and submit all nomination
materials.

The evaluation factors in determining the award recipient are:

  • Associate Professor with more than 10 years full-time teaching experience or Full Professor at time of nomination;
  • Colleague and student appraisals (evaluations from CoursEvalUM will be gathered and reviewed by the awarding committee);
  • Significant contribution(s) to teaching, preferably at both the undergraduate and graduate levels;
  • Innovative classroom techniques and classroom materials;
  • Ability to motivate students to learn.

The packet submitted for nominees must not exceed 15 pages and to include the following:

  • A letter of nomination;
  • Three letters of recommendation consisting of one each from: a student, University colleague (e.g., faculty member, administrator), and his/her Department chair;
  • A one page statement from the nominee which including the nominee’s department(s), time at the University of Maryland, and academic rank;
  • A listing of classes taught at the University during the past 10 years (or since being appointed at UM, if shorter);
  • Specific examples of innovative classroom techniques and classroom materials used by the nominee.
  • Any additional materials, including appendices, beyond the 15 page maximum may not be reviewed by the committee.
Submit a Nomination

Meet the 2024 Recipient: Catherine Kuo

Catherine Kuo joined the Fischell Department of Bioengineering as an Associate Professor in 2020, and has been instrumental in revamping and teaching BIOE120, where her teaching style and pedagogy has greatly improved the student experience, critical thinking and classroom engagement. Students and faculty extol her ability to deliver engaging, interactive and discussion centered teaching has led to students developing a confidence with the material as well as the ability to understand complex topics in an engaging way. They were particularly appreciative of her ability to create a warm, welcoming and open classroom environment, as well as her passion for creating student engagement and critical thinking learning outcomes.

Catherine Kuo, Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Past Recipients

Note: Prior to 2000, the Poole and Kent Teaching Award for Senior Faculty was known as the Outstanding Teaching Award for Senior Faculty.


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