Story originally from the University Times
Winners of the 2009 chancellor’s awards for distinguished teaching and distinguished research have been announced. Distinguished teaching award winners include Jennifer Cartier, assistant professor, Department of Instruction and Learning, School of Education.
Each faculty honoree will receive a $2,000 cash prize. In addition, each teaching honoree will receive a $3,000 grant, administered by the home department, to support his or her teaching, and each research award winner will receive a $3,000 grant to support his or her research.
Winners of the 2009 teaching, research and public service awards — as well as other distinguished faculty, staff, alumni and students — will be recognized Feb. 27 during Pitt’s 33rd annual honors convocation. Winners’ names also will be inscribed on plaques displayed in the William Pitt Union.
A selection committee, chaired by Patricia Beeson, vice provost for graduate studies and undergraduate studies, recommended the winners after reviewing supporting materials. Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg sent congratulatory letters to the winners, citing some of their accomplishments derived from information and letters of recommendation supporting the winners’ nominations.
“The very existence of this award underscores the high institutional priority that we assign to our teaching responsibilities, and your individual efforts stand as an inspiring example of excellence in the role of University teacher,” Nordenberg wrote to the teaching award winners.
The education school’s Jennifer Cartier was recognized by Nordenberg for her commitment to science education. “You have demonstrated the remarkable ability to teach a broad range of students in a variety of situations, including high school students, pre-service elementary teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and in-service training for current science teachers,” Nordenberg wrote.
The quality of Cartier’s teaching effectiveness is reflected in the consistently high marks on her teaching evaluations; the number of grants she has been awarded attest to her being at the forefront of her field, he noted.
“You have designed courses that actively engage students with both science content and scientific inquiry processes, and allow students to apply these ideas to authentic educational situations,” the chancellor continued. “Your assignments are creative and provide students opportunities to stretch their thinking and look for real-life situations.”
According to her web site, Cartier’s career path initially looked like it would take her into research. In college, she participated in a number of intensive research projects in the fields of molecular genetics and biochemistry. Her college thesis involved active-site mapping of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase protein. Following college, Cartier earned a biochemistry master’s degree based on her work in virology.
But as the daughter, wife and sister of teachers, she said it was inevitable that her love of science eventually would be channeled into a career in education. In 1994, she entered graduate studies in science education. Since then, she has been working primarily in the areas of curriculum development and teacher professional development in science education.
Her other duties at the School of Education include providing leadership in the development of new science teacher preparation programs; developing policies to support re-conceptualized doctoral programs in science education; developing assessment tools and protocols for science program field supervisors, and advising graduate students.
