Faculty Nomination

Northwestern University and Weinberg College Teaching Awards, 2012

Nomination deadline: Thursday, March 15, 2012

Each year, the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of the Provost, and the Northwestern Alumni Association recognize members of the College's tenure-line and lecturer faculty for excellence in teaching. Weinberg College in addition recognizes the contributions of outstanding graduate student teachers in the instruction of its undergraduates.

Tenure-line faculty in the College are eligible for the following awards:

Lecturer faculty in the College are eligible for the following awards:

Graduate student teachers in the College are eligible for the following award:

The descriptions below give details about each kind of teaching award and the materials required to nominate candidates. Department chairs and program directors are invited to nominate candidates for awards, as are representatives of the College Student Advisory Board. The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Weinberg College Distinguished Teaching Awards

(Including the E. LeRoy Hall Award and the Arts and Sciences Alumni Awards)

Each year the College selects three members of the tenure-line faculty to receive Weinberg College Distinguished Teaching Awards. The most senior of these recipients is designated as the winner of the E. LeRoy Hall Award. In addition, two more Distinguished Teaching Awards, designated as Arts and Sciences Alumni Teaching Awards, are reserved for members of the lecturer faculty. The Distinguished Teaching Awards carry cash stipends of $5,000.

All tenure-line faculty members and full-time lecturers who have taught in the College for a minimum of two years are eligible. Excellence as an undergraduate instructor is the primary criterion of the award. Contributions to curricular innovation and undergraduate life, perhaps as an adviser, program director, or director of undergraduate studies, are also valued by the Committee. Faculty members who have won a Weinberg College teaching award or a Weinberg College or NU teaching professorship in the past five years are ineligible for these awards.

Nomination materials

  • Letter from the chairperson or other nominator
  • Current CV
  • Statement from the nominee setting forth his or her goals as a teacher and assessment of success in meeting those goals
  • Log of all courses taught in the past three years with CTECs and syllabi
  • Supporting letters from not fewer than three nor more than five current undergraduate students or recent college graduates

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Weinberg College Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research

This award recognizes a faculty member who has exhibited particular skill in and dedication to mentoring undergraduate students engaged in research and other intellectually creative endeavors. This research or creative work may have taken the form of honors or senior theses or other senior projects, independent study, laboratory work, or a combination. Successful candidates for the Weinberg College Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research will have established a history of exceptional work with undergraduates and the development of opportunities for them to become involved in research and other sustained creative projects. The award carries a cash stipend of $5,000.

Nomination materials

  • Letter of nomination (typically from the department chair). The letter might address such topics as: any publications or awards received by students mentored by the nominee; the impact of projects directed by the nominee on students' post-graduate plans; any innovative ways in which the nominee has encouraged students to become involved in research, especially in fields in which this is unusual for undergraduates; and any ways in which the mentor has helped students present their work in public fora.
  • Current CV
  • Statement from the nominee setting forth his or her goals as a research mentor and assessment of success in meeting those goals
  • Supporting letters from not fewer than three nor more than five current students or recent college graduates whose research has been mentored by the nominee

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Weinberg College Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Awards

Each year the College selects three teaching assistants to receive Weinberg College Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Awards, one per Division. A student-faculty Committee on Teaching Awards evaluates nominations from departments and the Student Advisory Board and recommends candidates to the Dean. The award carries a cash stipend of $1000.

Any graduate student who has carried out the duties of teaching assistant or lecturer in 2009-10 or 2010-11 is eligible. Previous winners are ineligible. Excellence in work with undergraduates is the primary criterion of the award.

Nomination materials

  • Letter of nomination (typically from the department chair)
  • Current CV
  • Statement from the nominee setting forth his or her goals as a teacher and assessment of success in meeting those goals
  • Log of all courses taught in the past three years with CTECs and syllabi
  • Supporting letters from not fewer than three nor more than five current undergraduate students or recent college graduates

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Weinberg College Community Building Award

The WCAS Student Advisory Board solicits nominations for the Weinberg College Community Building Award. The award recognizes faculty who foster a sense of community both inside and outside the classroom and who make students feel valued as members of the Northwestern intellectual community. Nominations should include letters from students describing the contributions to community made by the nominated faculty member and a list of any activities that the nominee may have undertaken for Northwestern undergraduates (advising, work with student groups, etc.). The award carries a cash stipend of $5,000.

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Weinberg College Award for Outstanding Freshman Advising

Each year the College selects three members of the faculty to receive the Weinberg College Award for Outstanding Freshman Advising. Candidates must demonstrate approachability and availability throughout the academic year, sensitivity to students' needs, and deep knowledge of College and University requirements, possibilities, and resources. Candidates must also demonstrate a willingness and ability to guide students in their exploration of possible academic paths and to instill confidence and independence. The award carries a cash stipend of $1000.

Faculty must be nominated by their advisees, after which the Teaching Awards Committee will review student nominations and select a suitable short list of candidates. Finalists will be asked to submit the following nomination materials:

  • Letter of nomination (typically from the department chair)
  • Current CV
  • Statement from the nominee setting forth his or her goals as an adviser and assessment of success in meeting those goals
  • Supporting letters from not fewer than three nor more than five current or recent advisees

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Charles Deering McCormick Professorships of Teaching Excellence

In 2012, the Office of the Provost will appoint up to four new Charles Deering McCormick Professors of Teaching Excellence. The term of each award is three years. Each McCormick Professor receives a salary supplement of $7,000 and a professional development fund of $3,000 annually. In addition, the home department of each awardee will receive a one-time grant of $3,000 to be used for purposes of undergraduate education broadly construed. McCormick Professors are also designated Fellows of the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence. 

Nominees should be tenured members of the faculty. The Professorships will be awarded to those faculty members who have consistently demonstrated outstanding performance in classroom teaching or who have developed significant innovations which have also influenced the methods and teaching effectiveness of other faculty. Most Weinberg College nominees for McCormick Professorships have already won the Weinberg College Distinguished Teaching Award.

The Dean makes nominations to the Provost. Chairpersons, program directors, and other colleagues may nominate candidates to the Dean. Information about these awards and the materials required to nominate candidates will be e-mailed to all department chairs, program directors, department assistants, and program assistants no later than December 2011. 

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Materials required for nomination
Conditions of the McCormick Professorship

Charles Deering McCormick University Distinguished Lecturership/Clinical Professorship

In 2012, the Office of the Provost will award two Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Lecturerships/Clinical Professorships. The term of each award is one year.

Nominees must be full-time lecturers or clinical faculty. Nominees must be in residence and teaching during the one-year term of their appointments.

The Dean makes nominations to the Provost. Chairpersons, program directors, and other colleagues may nominate candidates to the Dean. Information about these awards and the materials required to nominate candidates will be e-mailed to all department chairs, program directors, department assistants, and program assistants no later than December 2011. 

The deadline for receipt of materials in the Dean's Office is Thursday, March 15, 2012.  A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole . Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Materials required for nomination
Conditions of the McCormick Lecturership/Clinical Professorship

Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professorship

In 2012, the Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professorship will be awarded to a member of the faculty of those schools and colleges with undergraduate programs of instruction.  Individuals eligible for the professorships should be regular, tenured members of the faculty.  The professorship will be awarded a faculty member who has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance in classroom teaching, or who has developed significant innovations which have also influenced the methods and teaching effectiveness of other faculty.

The Alumnae professor shall serve a three year term; each year of the term he or she shall receive a $7,000 supplemental salary award and an additional $3,000 for professional development which may be used for the hiring of assistants, research expenses, attendance at professional meetings, and related activities.

Each Alumnae Professor will also be designated as a Fellow of the University-wide Searle Center for Teaching Excellence and will be available for consultation with the Center staff.  The Alumnae professor also will be encouraged to provide guidance to other faculty members and to participate in workshops for faculty and general University audiences.  The Alumnae Professor may also be asked to prepare a brief paper reflecting on how he/she approaches teaching and has developed his/her pedagogical skills.  These papers may be edited and published for distribution to the University community.

Information about this award and the materials required to nominate candidates will be e-mailed to all department chairs, program directors, department assistants, and program assistants no later than December 2011. Nominations of Weinberg College faculty members for the Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professorship must be received by the Dean's office by Thursday, March 15, 2012. A single PDF file of the nomination materials for each candidate should be emailed to Steven Cole. Please feel free to address questions or comments to him as well.

Materials required for nomination

Conditions of the Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professorship

Honors and Achievements

Professor Tobin Marks, a world leader in organometallic chemistry, chemical catalysis, materials science, organic electronics, solar energy, photovoltaics and nanotechnology, received the 2012 National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences.

Weinberg professor Kenneth Seeskin has won the National Jewish Book Award. The Cambridge Guide to Jewish History, Religion, and Culture, co-edited by Seeskin, received first place in the anthologies and collections category.

Mentions in the Media

The Life, Work of Poet Wislawa Szymborska
Wislawa Szymborska's longtime translator, Slavic languages and comparative literature professor Clare Cavanagh, speaks with PBS Newshour about the poet's life and work. Szymborska was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1996. pbs.org February 2, 2012 Full story

Fingerprints of a Monster Quake
How to plan for earthquakes if seismic activity wanders around the map? ... Northwestern University geophysicist Seth Stein argues that there won't be any future earthquakes at New Madrid. He has gathered GPS data that show no pressure developing in the Earth's surface there; hence, he argues, no energy is building for a convulsion. He believes mid-continent seismicity moves around, so that as the New Madrid zone "turns off," future quakes may happen elsewhere. washingtonpost.com January 10, 2012 Full story

January 25, 2012