MU| N e w s
MU honors faculty for teaching, service, scholarship
North Manchester
Teacher of the Year – Rachel Polando,
associate professor of biology
“She can make science come to life,” says
one student, who explained that Polando
uses humor and helps them “apply what we
are learning.” John Deal, associate professor
of economics, nominated Polando. “She is
not just a great teacher, she is truly a great
mentor and inspiration for her students.”
Excellence in Service – Jim BrumbaughSmith, associate professor of mathematics
Chair of his department, he is known for
his enthusiasm and thoroughness. His recent
contributions include serving as chair of the
Values, Ideas and the Arts Committee and
starting a Latin and ballroom dance club on
campus. He helps coordinate the Fort Wayne
Ballroom Special Olympics.
Outstanding Scholar – Katharine Ings,
associate professor of English
Ings is a versatile author and scholar, and
her journalistic, editorial and traditional
scholarly accomplishments are many.
She is a regular contributor to Selvedge, an
international textile and fashion magazine,
and her recent works include copyediting the
Norton Critical Edition of 12 Years a Slave. She advises the student
newspaper Oak Leaves, which this year won nine Indiana Collegiate
Press Association awards.
Fort Wayne
Teachers of the Year – Ningning Yang,
assistant professor of pharmaceutical
sciences, Thomas Smith, assistant
professor of pharmacy practice, and
Brian Henriksen, assistant professor of
pharmaceutical sciences
Yang teaches pharmaceutics courses for
the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. She
developed active-learning activities that use PowerPoint animation
and has tested the efficacy of the “flipped” classroom in which
students are assigned homework before class and then practice
calculation questions in the classroom with faculty.
Smith teaches integrated pharmacotherapy
modules of neurology and psychiatry. He
uses active-learning techniques, and his
students say his classes encourage creativity
and emphasize empathetic pharmacy practice.
Henriksen has produced handouts that
explain drug chemistry. The handouts
provide a foundation for slides and lectures,
because existing textbooks do not capture the
chemical nature of drug action that is directly
applicable to an integrated pharmacotherapy
curriculum.
Outstanding Service Award – Tracy L.
Brooks, assistant professor of pharmacy
practice
Brooks has lectured in pain management
to medical students, conducted diabetes
education at South Side High School and
serves on the advisory board for Homestead
High School’s “Project Lead the Way”
curriculum. She has chaired several local science fairs and conducts a
monthly “Pain Club” for sharing information among pharmacists at
Parkview Regional Medical Center.
Scholar of the Year – Dennis Brown,
assistant professor of pharmaceutical
sciences
Brown has collaborated with MU’s
Swati Betharia, assistant professor of
pharmaceutical sciences, and Jimmy Yen
(IU School of Medicine-Fort Wayne),
researching Parkinson’s disease and multiple
sclerosis. He also played a central role in developing the research
laboratories at MU’s Fort Wayne campus.
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