The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.
Dorothea Dix, Educator and Social Reformer, 1802-1887
Nomination Process
Each year, the L&S Honors Program solicits student nominations of faculty members (or instructional academic staff) who have had a special impact as instructors of Honors courses, as supervisors of Honors theses, or as teachers and mentors of Honors students. The Faculty Honors Committee reviews these nominations and votes to confer Distinguished Honors Faculty status on the strongest nominees for these awards each spring. Below, we recognize each of these incredible educators and thank them for their contributions to the lives of all students, and particularly those in the L&S Honors Program.
2022-23 Awardees
Alex Levchenko
Credentials: Physics
Excerpt from student nomination: “As a classroom teacher, Prof. Levchenko is exceptional at explaining difficult concepts. He is really good at challenging students with homework problems, which are very involved and demanding but [helps them] understand materials and develop invaluable skills as a physicist. […] On top of being extremely competent in his research, he cares deeply about his students on a personal level, making sure students are doing ok in general in life and opening many doors for professional activities. As an aspiring theoretical physicist, Prof. Levchenko is someone I would not only like to work with but also want to be like when I reach that stage.”
Walter Stern
Credentials: Education Policy Studies
Excerpts from student nomination: “Dr. Stern’s guidance helped me speak openly about my past outside academia, while neutrally evaluating topics within my thesis.” “He guided my first humanities-based proposals in exciting undergraduate award applications.” “I cannot relate everything here, but his exemplary mentorship is truly deserving of the Faculty Award.”
Meyer Jackson
Credentials: Neuroscience
Excerpt from student nomination: Dr. Jackson has been the most influential professor I have worked with here at UW-Madison during my undergraduate degree. […] From the start he has always made an effort to come to my level of experience; without diminishing his expectations of me and the quality of my work. His personal understanding of what I am capable of and what is expected of me as a growing researcher means he knows when and how to engage with me to make the most effective personal improvements. […] I know without his work with me on my senior honors thesis I wouldn’t have been prepared to start graduate school next fall and I will be eternally grateful for his help in getting me to that point in my education and helping me make the leap toward full-time research.”
Past Awardees
- Martha Alibali, Psychology
- William Aylward, Classics
- Anja Jovic-Humphrey, English
- Jose Rodriguez, Mathematics
- Martin Zanni, Chemistry
- Anthony Auger, Psychology
- William Bement, Integrative Biology, Center for Quantitative Cell Imaging
- Karen Britland, English
- Mario Ortiz-Robles, English
- Song Gao, Geography
- Patrick Iber, History
- Shuchi Chawla, Computer Sciences
Honorable Mention
The Faculty Honors Committee singled out the following faculty nominees for an Honorable Mentions as a result of the student recommendations each received for the 2019-20 academic school year.
- Steven Brooke, Political Science
- Kristina Huang, English
- Dan Kapust, Political Science
- Jonathan Martin, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
- Steve Nadler, Philosophy
- Yuri Saalman, Psychology
- Joseph Austerweil, Psychology
- Barbara Bendlin, Medicine
- Thomas Brunold, Chemistry
- Emily Fletcher, Philosophy
- Gloria Whiting, History
- Allyson Bennett, Psychology
- Kathryn Ciancia, History
- Chad Goldberg, Sociology
- Katherine Hustad, Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Seth McGee, Biocore
- Judith Mitchell, English; Creative Writing
- Elliott Sober, Philosophy
- Daniel Quint, Economics
- M. Thomas Record, Jr., Chemistry
- Jolanda Vanderwal Taylor, German, Nordic & Slavic
- Harry Brighouse, Philosophy
- Eric Carlsson, History
- Loredana Comparone, Spanish and Portuguese
- Judith Harackiewicz, Psychology
- Michelle Harris, Biocore
- Cora Lee Kluge, German
- Randall Goldsmith, Chemistry
- Rita Kaushanskaya, Communication Science and Disorders
- Mario Ortiz Robles, English
- Timothy Rogers, Psychology
- Howard Schweber, Political Science
- Scott Straus, Political Science
- Danielle Benden, Anthropology
- David Danaher, Slavic
- Raymond Deneckere, Economics
- Ralph Grunewald, Legal Studies and Comparative Literature
- Maryellen MacDonald, Psychology
- Tiziana Serafini, French and Italian
- Susan Bernstein, English
- Christopher Wells, Journalism and Mass Communication
- Janet Hyde, Psychology
- Carol Lee, Zoology
- Peiman Hematti, Hematology and Oncology
- Richard Avramenko, Political Science
- Charles T. Snowdon, Psychology
- William Cronon, History
- Edward Friedman, Political Science
- Bryan Hendricks, Psychology
- Susan B. Horwitz, Computer Sciences
- Jack W. Mitchell, Journalism and Mass Communication
- Catherine H. Middlecamp, Chemistry
- Gary G. Weismer, Communicative Disorders
- Janet C. Batzli, Biology Core Curriculum
- Richard J. Begam, English
- Robert Booth Fowler, Political Science
- Cyrena N. Pondrom, English
- Jenny R. Saffran, Psychology
- Kenneth D. West, Economics