For Excellence in Teaching

The Academic Senate has recognized 13 faculty members and graduate students for their excellence in teaching and mentorship.

In addition, Diane Fujino, a professor of Asian American studies, has received the Senate’s inaugural Faculty Diversity Award.

"The Academic Senate, with support of the Chancellor, has established several categories of awards to recognize outstanding achievements in a range of activities that support the research and the teaching missions of the University,” said Henning Bohn, Academic Senate chair and a professor of economics. 

“In the area of teaching, we give several awards for excellence in teaching, defined broadly, as well as awards for graduate mentorship and awards for teaching assistants,” he continued. “Our newest award is the Faculty Diversity Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the advancement of diversity and equality.

“Let me note that we take great care in selecting award recipients,” Bohn added. “For each category of award, we invite nominations and then convene a committee of faculty volunteers to choose the award recipients, often from a substantial number of excellent candidates. We have many outstanding teachers and researchers on campus and we believe the Academic Senate awards are a good way to give them some well-deserved recognition.”

Distinguished Teaching Awards

This year’s Distinguished Teaching awards were presented to Randalyn F. Browning, a lecturer with the Writing Program; Allison Horst, a lecturer in the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management; Dana Mastro, a professor of communication; Mireille Miller-Young, an associate professor of feminist studies; Simone Pulver, an associate professor of environmental studies; and Heather Royer, an associate professor of economics.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor Awards

Recipients of the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award include Silvia Bermúdez, a professor of Spanish literature and cultural studies in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese; Karen Nylund-Gibson, an associate professor of quantitative methods in the Gevirtz School; and Susanne Stemmer, a professor of materials.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards

Outstanding Teaching Assistant awards were presented to Olga Faccani, a doctoral candidate in classics; Ashlee Keolalaulani Kalauli, a doctoral student in mathematics; Heather C. Macias, a doctoral student in education; and Anita Stahl, a doctoral student in feminist studies.

Faculty Diversity Award

In naming Fujino to receive the Faculty Diversity Award, the committee noted her diversity contributions that center on community engaged scholarship and transformative social justice in Asian American, Black and Latinx communities. Her wide-ranging diversity efforts have included co-convening the recent national Asian American activism symposium, developing an Engaged Scholarship initiative, organizing the Ethnic Studies Now! Santa Barbara Coalition and serving as a board member of La Casa de la Raza.

Fujino’s nominees described her as someone who is “passionate about social justice, deeply committed to equality, and truly believes in the upliftment of the underserved.” Commented another nominator regarding Fujino’s commitment to diversity: “UCSB is very fortunate to have a faculty member whose research, teaching and service is not only the highest caliber, but is for the sole purpose of making our world a more just place.”