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<h1>2023 Celebration of Teaching Awards</h1>

The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2023 Celebration of Teaching Awards.

Celebration of Teaching Winners

  • Excellence in Teaching an In-Person Course - Srinivas Pentyala, Anesthesiology
  • Excellence in Teaching an Online Course - Omar Badessi, Hispanic Languages and Literature 
  • Excellence in Assessment - Jeannine Guglielmo, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
  • Excellence in Inclusive Teaching - Sandra So Hee Chi Kim, Asian and Asian American Studies
  • Excellence in Accessible Teaching - Jason Lewis, Anthropology
  • Excellence in Teaching Innovation - Janet Hearing, Microbiology and Immunology
  • Excellence in Experiential Education - Tracey Walters, Africana Studies
  • Teaching Assistant Award - Samuel Disotell, Anthropology

We would also like to acknowledge the Outstanding Lecturer Awardee, awarded by the Office of the Provost:

  • Tony Scarlatos, Computer Science

SBU News Article

#CelebrateWithCELT @CELT_SBU

 


<h2>Srinivas Pentyala, PhD</h2>

Professor & Director of Translational Research and SARAS Coordinator
Faculty in Orthopedics, Urology, Health Sciences, Physiology & Biophysics

2023 Award for Excellence in Teaching an In-Person Course

Srinivas Pentyala

Dr. Srinivas Pentyala is the Director of Translational Research and Professor of Anesthesiology in Stony Brook University Medical Center (SBUMC), NY, USA. He has joint appointments in the departments of Orthopedic Surgery &amp; Rehabilitation, Urology, Health Sciences, Physiology and Biophysics at SBUMC. Dr. Pentyala is also an adjunct professor in Suffolk College and Adelphi University teaching, mentoring and advising undergrad, graduate, medical students and residents in different fields of medicine and biology. Dr. Pentyala is currently working on several translational and applied research projects that includes drug discovery, diagnostic markers, and devices for health care settings. His research has received funding from industry, public and private sources. Dr. Pentyala has several publications and patents to his credit. Dr. Pentyala received several honors and awards not only for his role as a researcher but also as an educator. He is the recipient of “Pride of India” Gold Award” and several “Excellence Awards” for his contributions to the field of research and education. He was awarded Stony Brook University’s “Most Influential Professor/Faculty Member” Award, “Catacosinos Cancer Scholar Award” and “Excellence in Community Service Awards” to name a few. Dr. Pentyala initiated a summer “Science And research Awareness Series” (SARAS) in 2004 at SBUMC which is now recognized as one of the most popular biomedical sciences enrichment programs for biological sciences students in US. Recognizing the efforts rendered and the tremendous impact of SARAS program on STEM education, Dr. Pentyala, received “President’s Team Achievement Award” as the initiator and coordinator of SARAS. Dr. Pentyala is the founding director of several biotech and health care companies. He serves on the advisory board of several journals, national and international biotech and health care companies, and research institutes.

As a lifelong student, I am learning through interaction, application, and association. I use these same approaches in my teaching. I always try to create a positive learning environment, which is supportive and based on mutual respect. My classes are not simply “lectures”. I ask questions to gauge how well the material is being understood. I’m flexible enough to make on-the-spot changes to my approach. I use this, and other types of feedback like critique from my students as well as my colleagues when teaching.

<h2>Omar Badessi, MA</h2>

Doctoral Student, Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature

2023 Award for Excellence in Teaching an Online Course

Omar Badessi

Omar is a polyglot instructor at Stony Brook University, with a rich cultural background shaped by multiple influences. As a member of the native Amazigh community, his heritage encompasses a blend of Mediterranean, African, Eastern, and European traditions. He thrives on connecting with people from all walks of life, valuing the diverse perspectives they bring.At SBU, Omar has developed immersive and culturally-aware Arabic and Spanish language curricula, integrating creative activities to enhance students' language skills while deepening their understanding of the rich tapestry of Spanish and Arabic cultures.

To Omar, language classes serve as a gateway to explore the intricacies of various cultures, fostering a greater appreciation and understanding among students. Through language learning, students not only acquire linguistic proficiency but also dismantle false stereotypes, enabling them to embrace new ways of thinking.

As a testament to his commitment to fostering a sense of community and academic excellence, Omar designed "Amigos de Omar", a  newsletter that serves as a platform for his students to express their unique personalities, learning experiences, creativity, and cultural diversity. It also serves as a valuable tool for Omar to continuously improve his teaching methods while sharing his artistic passions and collaborations.

Omar continues to encourage and empower students to embrace cultural diversity and enrich their lives through language and cultural exploration.

I am incredibly grateful to CELT for their unwavering support, which has enabled me to excel in my role as an online course instructor. My students and SBU colleagues have been an invaluable source of learning, inspiring me to continuously innovate and improve my teaching methods. Being chosen for the Excellence in Teaching an Online Course Award is a true honor, and it motivates me to continue fostering a dynamic and enriching learning environment for my students. SHUKRAN!! (THANK YOU IN ARABIC)

<h2>Jeannie Guglielmo, MS, MAT, MLS (ASCP) CM</h2>

Clinical Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Clinical Lab Science

2023 Award for Excellence in Assessment 

Jeannie Guglielmo

Jeannie graduated from the Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) Program at Stony Brook’s School of Health Technology and Management (School of Health Professions now) in 1994 and went on to earn a Master’s in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven in 1996. Specializing in Biological Sciences and DNA, she worked for Florida Department of Law Enforcement and then the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory in Hauppauge, NY, as a Forensic Scientist. After ten years working cases on the bench in the crime laboratories, which included processing crime scenes, Jeannie changed careers by pursuing a Master’s in Teaching in Biology. Upon earning an MAT in Biology from SUNY Stony Brook in 2007, Jeannie worked as a licensed NYS teacher in grades 7-12, teaching biology and forensics. In addition to her experience with middle and high school students she served as an adjunct professor for the CLS Department at the School of Health Professions since 2000, teaching various forensic science electives. Jeannie served as an Educational Specialist for the HCARE Program from 2010 to 2011, and as a science adjunct faculty member for the HCOP Summer Academies from 2010 through 2012. Since 2011, she has served as a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor for the CLS Department teaching clinical chemistry and forensic science. As of 2016, she was appointed Clinical Associate Professor and from January 2018 until September 1, 2019 served as Vice Chair of the CLS Department. In 2019 she was appointed Interim Chair and in 2021 was selected to be the Chair of the CLS Department, the very program from which she received her bachelor’s degree. In addition, Jeannie is actively engaged as an academic advisor, and participates in numerous community outreach programs in the fields of education and science both on campus, locally and nationally.

I maintain the fundamental belief that my role as an educator is to support students in every aspect of their progression in the Life Cycle of an academic institution: from initial connection, entry, progress, completion, to alumni status. As such I aim to create an intentional, systemic, holistic, and transformative approach to ensuring student learning by striving to incorporate assessment activities that will allow every student to make steady, efficient progress in my courses. My goal is to create a culture of student success and to meet students where they are, addressing their needs along the journey. In my leadership role at SBU’s School of Health Professions I not only champion these ideals but I also focus my colleagues to concentrate upon these ideals as demonstrated by a Student Success summer series I am hosting based off of the book, “Becoming a Student Ready College” and a Leadership Project for the ASAHP that I am spear heading focused on creating a resource center that would allow faculty to integrate student-focused learning activities within their curriculum.

<h2>Sandra Kim, PhD</h2>

Lecturer and IDEA Fellow, Department of Asian & Asian American Studies

2023 David L. Ferguson Award for Inclusive Teaching

Sandra Kim

Dr. Sandra So Hee Chi Kim (she/her) is an IDEA fellow in Department of Asian and Asian American Studies. A cultural studies scholar with specializations in transpacific Asian American studies, critical Korean studies, and the study of modern empire, her research explores the intersections of race, global coloniality, ethnonationalisms, migration, and culture. Her articles have appeared in Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, Positions: Asia Critique, Korean Studies, and Occasion: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, among other journals, and is currently working on a book manuscript entitled Kinning Empire: Transcoloniality, Kinship, and Korean Historical Trauma. Sandra is also the founder and co-director of the grassroots community organization, Asian American Justice + Innovation Lab.

<h2>Jason Lewis, PhD</h2>

Lecturer in 2023, Department of Anthropology

2023 Award for Excellence in Accessible Teaching 

Jason Lewis

Dr. Jason E. Lewis is a Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology. He also serves as the Assistant Director of SBU's Turkana Basin Institute, is faculty director of Undergraduate Studies for the Human Evolutionary Biology Major and the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Human Origins program, and leads study abroad programs to Kenya and Ecuador. His research focuses on examining the fossil record from the Plio-Pleistocene of East Africa, especially the Turkana Basin in Kenya, and also Southern France. He uses paleontological and stable isotopic approaches to build paleoecological frameworks for accurately reconstructing the natural selective background to hominins’ morphological evolution, changes in their subsistence strategies, and innovations in cognition, technology, and social behavior.

<h2>Tracey Walters, PhD</h2>

Associate Professor, Department of Africana Studies/English 

2023 Award for Excellence in Experiential Education 

Tracey Walters

Dr. Tracey L. Walters is Professor of Literature and former Chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University where she also holds an affiliate appointment with the Department of English and Comparative Literature. Dr. Walters works in the areas of Black British literature . She has published a number of articles on the subject of African Diasporic Women’s literature and several books: I’m Not Your Mother’s Mammy: The Representation of the Domestic in Transatlantic Black Women’s Literature (Rutgers University Press, 2021), African American Women and the Classicists Tradition: Black Women Writers from Wheatley to Morrison (Palgrave 2007) and edited two collections on Zadie Smith: Critical Essays (Peter Lang 2008) and Zadie Smith Decoded (Peter Lang 2022) Walters is currently completing a book on black foster care in England.

<h2>Janet Hearing, PhD</h2>

Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

2023 Award for Excellence in Teaching Innovation  

Janet Hearing

Janet Hearing, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. She received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Iowa, a PhD in molecular microbiology from Stony Brook University and performed postdoctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. A virologist by training, her current research is focused on the use of event-driven pharmacology for the development of antiviral drugs. Dr. Hearing served as Graduate Program Director for the Molecular Microbiology PhD Program (2005-2020) and a member of the Graduate Council (1998-2003). She completed a fellowship in medical education in the School of Medicine and was the recipient of the Aesculapius Award for Excellence in Medical Education in 2013.

Dr. Hearing began her teaching career at Stony Brook in 1987. She has both directed and taught in courses for undergraduate, Ph.D., and medical students and has played a leading role in curriculum development for doctoral students in the Molecular Microbiology PhD Program and the creation and implementation of the LEARN Curriculum in the Renaissance School of Medicine. She has championed the use of active, guided, and self-directed learning strategies in courses and the incorporation of professional development activities in graduate education.

<h2>Samuel (Sam) Disotell, MA</h2>

Doctoral Student, Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences (IDPAS)

2023 Teaching Assistant Award  

Samuel Disotell

Sam Disotell is a zooarchaeologist interested in animal domestication and human-animal relationships, with a focus on ancient Mesopotamia. He is currently the primary faunal analyst for the Lagash Archaeological Project in southern Iraq. He has also worked closely with the Seneca Nation of upstate New York on the White Springs Archaeological Project.

I try my hardest to make the subjects of anthropology and archaeology interesting and accessible to new students no matter their major by using clear language and approachable, grounded examples. I enjoy meeting one-on-one with students and offering mentorship whenever possible. I am also deeply involved in DEI initiatives and scientific outreach, having recently organized an archaeological science conference, in an effort to encourage more young students and scholars from diverse backgrounds to have their voices heard in the field of archaeology.

<h2>Tony Scarlatos, MA</h2>

Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science

Provost's Outstanding Lecturer Award  

Tony Scarlatos

Tony has a Master's degree in Visual Communications, and worked as an art director for 12 years before teaching at Stony Brook, for companies such as Doubleday and Cablevision. His work received a number of national awards, such as the Federal Design Achievement Award, and was published in American Artist magazine. He has developed software for the NY State Dept. of Education, SUNY Suffolk, Brooklyn College, and Columbia University.

Tony is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, and has been the Director of the Multimedia Lab since its creation in 1995. He has his own consulting company, Art&Sol, with clients such as the Long Island Museum and Computer Associates. His research areas are Human-Computer Interaction, Mobile Applications, and Computing for Social Good. Tony received a Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 2018.

 


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