The Student Committee for Biological Advancement (SCUBA) recently awarded one faculty and two teaching assistants with the 2019 Teaching Excellence Award. Nearly twenty nominations were received and the student-run BBE committee selected awardees that had received exceptional praise and had gone above and beyond the call to action to better teach, encourage, and inspire their students.
Dr. Elizabeth (Betty) Hong is the recipient of the faculty award. In addition to her research on the biochemical basis for synaptic function, Dr. Hong co-teaches Bi 8, Introduction to Molecular Biology. Multiple students nominated her for her excellence in teaching along with her enthusiasm for inspiring students. One student described how Dr. Hong’s teaching changed their approach to biology, moving past mindless memorization to solving challenging problems and designing novel experiments. Dr. Hong’s efforts to answer any questions her students had, her capabilities of engaging students in intriguing topics in biology, and her incessant passion for teaching are a few of the many reasons she has been selected to receive this award.
Morgan Schwartz is one of two recipients of the teaching assistant award. Morgan was head TA for Bi 1 this past spring, the core undergraduate biology requirement taken by most freshmen. Morgan was instrumental in the organization of the course this year, with multiple students noting how she went above and beyond to ensure that students had an abundance of resources as they worked through the course material. They further mentioned how much time and effort she has put into the class, and how she has been the pillar for the class, allowing it to be functional and smoothly run. The students wanted to thank her for all that she has done, and would like to give her an opportunity to receive deserving recognition.
Lucas Meirelles is the second recipient of the teaching assistant award. Lucas was nominated by a faculty member for outstanding support to both her and the students throughout the duration of the course. Being both thoughtful and academically gifted, Lucas quietly went beyond the call to action with a positive attitude to be available for his students. Throughout the administration of oral exams, Lucas was able to bring out the best in every student and has been integral to ESE/Bi 168. His dedication, enthusiasm, and exceptional natural teaching are highlighted through the award.
SCUBA thanks everyone for their nominations and expresses gratitude towards these three individuals for advancing Caltech’s biology program. If you would like to nominate individuals for the 2020 SCUBA teaching award, please email scuba.caltech@gmail.com.
To learn more about SCUBA, please visit https://www.caltechscuba.org.
Excellent point, adding sex toys can improve physical connection and intimacy.
This is great info. Also, I’ve been experimenting with different vape mods options, and they’re amazing.