Purdue Tech 120 students are learning the importance of design thinking by building food dispensary prototypes to support local organizations combating food insecurity, says Fay Barber-Dansby, a senior lecturer and 2024 Teaching Excellence Award recipient.   

Barber-Dansby was honored with the award due to her unique approach to teaching students how to problem-solve. She says her teaching style requires students to engage with their surrounding community. A commitment to an outside organization with a real-world problem encourages students to pursue innovation and gives reason to give it their all. 

Barber-Dansby was among more than 80 Purdue instructors honored during the 2024 Celebration of Teaching Excellence, which took place Sept. 26 at the Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette. Purdue instructors who have been honored over the past year with instructional awards received a shiny ceramic apple with a gold plaque engraved with their award. Purdue’s senior vice provost for Teaching and Learning, Jenna Rickus, presented the awards. 

“The success of your work will only grow and ripple through time via the students who learned alongside you,” Rickus said during her opening remarks. . 

Rickus acknowledged the variety in teaching approaches and said the event was an opportunity to celebrate the persistent pursuit of teaching excellence. She also congratulated attendees on their multidimensional and interdisciplinary efforts, which she said help prepare students for success.  

Honoree Françoise Brosseau-Lapré, professor in Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences, said she was excited to share the night with her three young daughters. 

Brosseau-Lapre says she does a great deal of research at Purdue, so it’s exciting to be recognized for the teaching aspect of her position. 

“The fact that Purdue has university-level teaching recognition is really fabulous,” she adds. 

Rickus noted that having over 80 educators being celebrated is a testament to the excellence of a Purdue education. She said she was also excited to recognize several new members of Purdue’s Teaching Academy from Purdue’s Indianapolis location. 

"Their experience and expertise brings new opportunities for innovation and continued expression and advancement of teaching excellence and student success," Rickus said. "Let's celebrate the wonderful people who lead by example and show us the way."

Blue Sky Award for Excellence in Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Pedagogy 

Jacob J. Adler.……….……….……….……….…………………..………Biological Sciences

Andrea F. Barber-Dansby …………..….…….……….……….………Anderson Polytechnic

Thomas M. Lucas ……………………………………………………New Albany Polytechnic

Zahra A. Tehrani …………………………………………….John Martinson Honors College

Charles B. Murphy OUtstanding undergraduate Teaching Award 

Kendra A. Erk ……….……….……….……….……….……….………Materials Engineering

Dino F. Felluga ……….……….……….……….……….……….…………………….. English

Stephanie M. Gardner ……….……….……….……….……….……….. Biological Sciences

Amy H. Sheehan  ……….……….……….……….……….………………Pharmacy Practice

Jennifer E. Smith ……….……….……….……….…….……….………..Educational Studie

Class of 1922 Outstanding Innovation in Help Students Learn Award 

Beatriz C. Bohorquez ……….……….……….……….……….……… Biological Sciences

Excellence in Instruction Award for COntinuing Lecturers 

Linda E. Haynes ……….……….……….……….……….……… English

Exceptional Early Careers 

Elizabeth E. Parkinson……….……….……….……….……….………Chemistry

Lindsey B. Payne ……….……….……….……….Environmental & Ecological Engineering

IMPACT Festival of Teaching and Learning Recognition 

Beatriz C. Bohorquez ....……….……….……….……….……….………Biological Sciences

Michael D. Johnson .....……….……….……….……….……….………English

Corinne C. Lim-Kessler ......……….……….……….……….…Psychological Sciences

Jason A. Ware ……….……….……….……….………. John Martinson Honors College

Innovation Hub Award for Innovative Uses of Generative AI

Lixia Cheng ....……….……….……….……….…College of Liberal Arts Administration

Ty C. Climer ....……….……….……….……….…College of Liberal Arts Administration

Minsun Kim....……….……….……….……….…College of Liberal Arts Administration

Haiyan Li....……….……….……….……….…College of Liberal Arts Administration

Ramses Martinez....……….……….……….……….…Industrial Engineering

Innovative Online Use of Technology (Credentials) 

Leynep Akgul....……….……….……….……….…Agricultural Economics

Ginger L. Batta....……….……….……….……….…Agricultural Economics

Amanda Countryman....……….……….……….……….…Agricultural Economics

Most Distinguished Faculty for Academics 

Mallory K. Kern ....……….……….……….……….…Chemistry

Most Distinguished Faculty for Research

Paul Parsons ....……….……….……….……….…Computer Graphics Technology

Outstanding Faculty in Learning Award

Paul J. Thomas ....……….……….……….……….…Computer & Information Technology

Purdue Online Excellence in Course Design and Delivery (Credentials)

Brian C. Becker..….……….……….…Course Design & Development

Vincent G. Hornbach ….……….……….…Course Design & Development

Alexus Maschinot ….……….……….…Course Design & Development

Purdue Online Excellence in Course Design and Delivery (Degrees) 

Leah M. Miller.. ….……….……….…Course Design & Development

Courtney L. Waxman ….……….……….….... Veterinary Medicine

Purdue Online Scholarship for Teaching & Learning Award

Lakshmy Mohandas ….……….……….…Teaching Success

Teaching Academy

Karen D. Alfrey ….……….……….…Engineering

Robert E. Elliott  ….……….……….…Management

Mary Ann Frank ….……….……….…Construction Management Technology

Christi M. Masters  ….……….……….… Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

Julie Mendez  ….……….……….…... Engineering Technology

Brittany A. Newell ….……….……….…... Engineering Technology

Kathryn S. Orvis ….……….………Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

Pete E. Pascuzzi  ….………. Libraries

Corinne C. Renguette…… . Technology Leadership & Innovation

Matthew J. Turner ……. Engineering Technology

David A. Zwicky …. Libraries

Teaching Academy Festival of Teaching and Learning Award 

Elizabethe B. Brite ………… John Martinson Honors College 

Rustin D. Webster……… New Albany Polytechnic  

Teaching for Tomorrow Fellowship Award - Junior Fellow 

Andres M. Bejarano ………  Computer Science

Annette H. Bochenek ………  Libraries

Karen Byrd ………  Hospitality & Tourism Management

Hua Cai  ……… Industrial Engineering

Melissa A. Chomintra ……… Libraries 

Fabricio R. R. d'Almeida ………  Management

Andrey Glubokov ……… Mathematics

Kaitlyn T. Hood ……… Mathematics

Yiwei Huang ……. Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

Fecri Karanki ……….. Aviation & Transportation

Kristin B. Leaman ………………… Libraries

Cassandra A. Ledman ………………… Health & Kinesiology

Philip E. Pare ……………………………. Electrical & Computer Engineering

Davina N. Quichocho ………………………… Human Development & Family Science

Stephanie Scherer …………………………  Curriculum & Instruction

Mahesh Sunkula …………………… Mathematics

Paul J. Thomas  …………………… Computer & Information Technology

Li Wei  …………………… Languages & Cultures

Melissa C. Will  …………………… Political Science

Mark D. Wilson  …………………… Health Sciences

Teaching for Tomorrow Fellowship Award-Senior Fellow

Josh E. Boyd  …………………… Communication

Heather A. Howard  …………………… Libraries

Victoria L. Lowell  …………………… Curriculum & Instruction

Karen Marais  …………………… Aeronautics & Astronautics

Teaching Leadership Award

Francoise Brosseau-Lapre …………………….. Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

James V. Canino  ……………………………………………Aeronautics & Astronautics

April Cheung……………………………………………………….. Engineering Technology

Windi C. Krok ……………………………………..Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

Scott E. Lawrance ……………………………………………………..Health & Kinesiology

Jing Lu ……… …………………………………………………………………..Libraries

Karen Marias ..……… Aeronautics & Astronautics 

Zoeanna A. Mayhook ………  Libraries 

Wei Vian ……………  Engineering Technology

Carl R. Wassgren  …………… Mechanical Engineering

Shuyi Weng…………………….. Mathematics