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The Rice Thresher
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by SUSAN ABRAMSKI THRESHER STAFF
Long, an associate professor of sociology, is the winner of the George R. Brown Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Hebl, an assistant professor of psychology, is the recipient of this year's Nicolas Salgo Distinguished Teaching Award. Long said good teaching is important not just for her students but also in her life as a scholar. "I value watching students expand into areas of interest that were strange to them at first," Long said. "I like watching students become more at ease with critical thinking and forming their own opinions." She welcomes class discussion and characterizes the atmosphere in her classes as informal and warm. "One of the things that I try to bring to teaching is a way of connecting heart and mind, and that's always been really important to me in what I teach," she said. "I say stuff about the way I think life can be lived well." Hanszen College junior Christina Hodge said one of Long's characteristics is her concern for her students. "She discovers the interest of the class and caters to that - she's really flexible," Hodge said. "I think a lot of her teaching goes beyond the classroom. When you have a problem, she's there to talk to you." According to Student Affairs Division Administrator Barbara Eudey, alumni who received undergraduate degrees in 1995 and 1998 selected the recipients of the George R. Brown teaching awards. "Ballots are sent to alums in the classes that are two and five years out," Eudey said. Eudey said the professor receiving the highest number of votes is given the Excellence prize provided that they she has not been previously declared a lifetime recipient. The professors receiving the next six highest numbers of votes receive superior awards for excellence in teaching. Long has received the superior teaching award three times during her 20 years at Rice, but this is the first time she has received the award for teaching excellence. All members of the current junior and senior classes are given the opportunity to vote preferentially for three professors in the Salgo award, the first teaching award established at Rice. A professor may only receive the award twice in her career and the award cannot be given to the same professor within a span of seven years. Hebl is finishing her second year of teaching at Rice. "I'm passionate about teaching," she said. "I simply love students. I'm passionate about psychology. And I'm so damn lucky to be at Rice where the students are so good." Hebl characterizes her teaching style as personal and open-minded. "It's really fun to teach the topics where [students] can go outside of the classroom and say, 'Oh, that's what we read about today,'" she said. Hebl said it is important to her to get to know her students as people. She feels it is important to learn every student's name and something about them, even in a large class. She has attended track meets, plays and performances. She also works with students in her lab in order to develop relationships outside of the classroom. Hebl sees the process of teaching as self-improving. "Teaching is definitely a two-way street," she said. "I know psychology ... [but] I feel like my students teach me. They don't know it, but I'm really the student." The six recipients of the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching are: Chandler Davidson, professor of sociology and political science; Alan Grob, professor of English; John Olson, professor of biochemistry and cell biology; Miguel Quinones, associate professor of psychology; and John Zammito, professor of history. - back - |
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