Professors Amber Wright and Howard Shen, both faculty members in the School of Life Sciences, were selected as recipients of the 2020 Meritorious Teaching Award.

Dr. Wright is an associate professor and ecologist. She is committed to building quantitative literacy and fostering student engagement by creating relevance to real-world situations and to life in the Hawaiian Islands. She transformed her undergraduate teaching, increased student engagement, decreased the density of lecture material by emphasizing key skills and concepts, and connected material to student interests. A colleague observes, “Under Dr. Wright’s lead, a cross-listed undergraduate course incorporating both animal and plant ecology concepts has increased from 20 to over 100 students per semester. Reflecting current thinking on organizing biology conceptually rather than taxonomically, Wright reached out to other departments to merge courses, reducing redundancy and increasing course availability. For graduate students, she focuses on the role of theory and models, hands-on computer programming, discussing primary literature and collaborating in small group discussions. A graduate student writes, “I cannot overstate how much I have taken away from this course, it was incredibly eye-opening and empowering.”

Dr. Shen’s students relish his spirited use of analogies, props, personal anecdotes and jokes. They demonstrate great ease and comfort asking questions, approaching him as a mentor or coach in their learning. They write that, “Dr. Shen makes going to lecture something I look forward to.” A teaching intern observes his practice of learning student names each time they ask a question or they interact, thereafter using their names and “giving each student their own individuality and importance.” His teaching philosophy involves working as much with department colleagues, college administrators, KOKUA Program and academic advisors to create and strengthen cohesive curriculum, bridges between programs and pathways for student success. An advisor writes, “Not all faculty are willing to assume such responsibilities and even fewer enhance their knowledge.” A student writes that “Dr. Shen’s dedication to science spreads across the classroom, and his lessons remain learned for life.”

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