Four social scientists at UC Santa Cruz were honored for teaching and research today (Thursday, October 11) during the annual fall convocation hosted by the dean of the Division of Social Sciences.
Recipients of the division's 2007 Distinguished Teaching Awards are:
. Alan Richards, professor of environmental studies
. Andrea Steiner, lecturer in community studies
. Jack Vevea, associate professor of psychology
Established in 1991 to recognize outstanding undergraduate teaching in the social sciences, the awards are known informally as the "Golden Apple Awards" and carry a $2,500 cash prize, which was split equally among the recipients. The dean selects recipients from a list of recommendations compiled by a faculty committee based on nominations put forth by department chairs. The committee, chaired by politics professor Daniel Wirls, consisted of environmental studies professor Daniel Press, sociology professor Andrew Szasz, and associate professor of psychology Heather Bullock.
In addition, the following awards were also presented during the convocation:
. Psychology professor Bruce Bridgeman is the first recipient of the Martin M. Chemers Award for Outstanding Research in the Division of Social Sciences. New this year, the award recognizes a senior faculty member who has made a major impact on her or his discipline through research and publications. Bridgeman, who studies vision and perception, received a plaque and a check for $2,500.
. Graduate students Monika Thomas of economics and Florencia Marchetti of community studies each received the 2007 Milan-McGinty-Kaun Award for Distinguished Teaching. The recipients were presented with their awards by David Kaun, the professor of economics who funded the award to recognize outstanding teaching by graduate students. The award is named after its first recipients, Garrett Milam and Matt McGinty, who inspired Kaun to endow the award when they were students in UCSC's doctoral program in international economics. Thomas and Marchetti each received $1,000.
. Staff members Garfield Byrd, chief financial officer at the New Teacher Center, and Gillian McGuire, manager of the Education Department, received the 2007 Social Science Staff Recognition Awards. Each recipient received a plaque and a check for $1,500 in recognition of their outstanding service to the Division of Social Sciences and to UCSC.
Finally, four student recipients of 2007 Community Studies Walsh Scholarships were announced: Liza Sawyer of Aptos; Julie Thatsophone of San Pablo, CA; Sophia Gottlieb of Santa Cruz; and Monica Morales of Burlingame, CA. Each student received a $500 scholarship.
