The Best of 1993
Each year, the University searches for top teachers and public servants to honor for their exceptional efforts. Finding candidates is easy; there are plenty of deserving faculty, staff and alumni. Choosing the final honorees is hard, but several committees of faculty, students and alumni have come up with a list of nine outstanding people. Four are faculty who have won Distinguished Teaching Awards, two are TAs honored with Excellence in Teaching Awards, and three are members of the UW community recognized for their service by receiving either the Outstanding Public Service Award, the UW Recognition Award or the UW Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. Brief profiles of the nine follow:
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Dee Boersma
HOME: Seattle
AGE:46
OCCUPATION: Professor of Environmental Studies and Zoology. Joined the UW in 1974. Also adjunct faculty member at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
DEGREES: B.S. in biology and conservation from Central Michigan University, 1969. Ph.D. in zoology from Ohio State University, 1974. Ph.D. Thesis: “Galapagos Penguins: Adaptations for Life in an Unpredictable Environment.”
COURSES TAUGHT: Environmental Studies “Laboratory in Environmental Problems;” 206 ‘ Environmental Studies 530 and 531, “Science and Environmental Policy;” Biology 476, “Conservation Biology;” Zoology 410, “Ethology and Ecology Laboratory.”
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Population studies with an emphasis on sea birds. She is a world authority on the Magellanic penguins of southern Argentina. Also studies storm-petrels, murres and tufted puffins found in Alaskan waters. Continues to study the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill on sea life.
COMMENT FROM STUDENTS: “She is quite amazing in the field: the students reel from the wealth of information she has just transmitted and then beg for more. She has an ability to inspire students which I have rarely seen equaled. Most impressive is her ability to stimulate intense interest among students who previously had no particular desire to learn about environmental topics.”
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “The heart and soul of Zoology 410 is Dee Boersma. I have often touted it as an example of this University’s commitment to the highest quality undergraduate education: 25-30 contact hours per week; interesting topics; and a demanding, knowledgeable and totally accessible instructor. Dee was and is all of these.”
Joel Migdal
HOME: Seattle
AGE:48
OCCUPATION: Professor of International Studies and International Studies Program, Henry M. Jackson School Chair of International Studies. Joined the UW in 1980.
DEGREES: B.A. in political science from Rutgers University, 1967. M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University, 1968 and 1972. Ph.D. Thesis “Peasants in a Shrinking World: The Socio-Economic Basis of Political Change.”
COURSES TAUGHT: Intl. Studies 200, “States and Capitalism: the Origins of the Modern Global System;” Intl. Studies 201, “Introduction to International Political Economy;” Intl. Studies 397, “Junior Honors Seminar;” Intl. Studies 456/Political Science 450, “State-Society Relations;” Intl. Studies 465, “Deeply Divided Societies;” Intl. Studies 542, “Graduate Seminar: State and Society;” Intl. Studies 580, “Teaching International Studies.”
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Specializes in comparative politics and the Middle East. Former senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University. Author or co-author of several books including Palestinians: the Making of a People published by Free Press in 1993.
COMMENT FROM STUDENTS: “Dr. Migdal is without a doubt the most inspiring and gifted professor I have ever encountered. . .. I have been impressed with (his) ability to turn a crowded classroom into a room that seems to hold only two people—Dr. Migdal and myself. … During lectures with hundreds of students attending, Dr. Migdal takes the time to remember the names of students who ask questions—a significant gesture to students who may feel lost in classes this size.”
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “Joel Migdal provides the best educational experience for undergraduates that this University has to offer. … A superb ‘classroom’ teacher, able to engage students’ participation and attention in a large lecture course as if it were a small seminar …. Joel’s lectures are so finely crafted that I use them in my own writing course as examples of how political economists make arguments.”
Manfred Bansleben
HOME: Seattle
AGE:51
OCCUPATION: Associate Professor of Germanics. Also is the language coordinator for all undergraduate German courses. Came to the UW in 1988.
DEGREES: Undergraduate study at the University of Tubingen and the University of Bonn. Ph.D. in history from the University of Vienna, 1979. Ph.D. Thesis: “The Problem of Reparations at the St. Germain Peace Conference.”
COURSES TAUGHT: German 401 and 403, “Advanced Writing and Conversation;” German 412, “Renaissance and Baroque Literature and Culture;” German 473, “Teaching of College-Level German;” German 576, “Teaching Methodologies.” Designed the “German Express” program for undergraduates with no German to advance to reasonable fluency in one year.
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Language pedagogy, fin de siecle Europe, literature of East Germany, literature and music, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, 20th century Austria, German-Jewish relations. Author of the second-year German text Perspektiven, which is in use at more than 140 colleges and universities.
COMMENT FROM STUDENTS: “He is constantly coming up with new ideas and new materials for us and is very up-to-date regarding new developments in the field. And not only does he seek out and listen to feedback from all of us he also bases at least part of his revisions of courses upon consideration of it.”
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “It is impossible to overestimate the significance of strong language instruction for the health of a language and literature program. Unlike most other academic disciplines, enrollment in our upper-division courses (since they are taught only in German) is dependent on our ability to produce linguistically competent students. We in the Germanics department can—and do—say with considerable pride that, thanks to Manfred, we have one of the very best German language-instruction programs—indeed, perhaps the best—among large universities in the country.”
John Campbell
HOME: Seattle
AGE: 51
OCCUPATION: Associate Professor of Speech Communication: Joined the UW in 1976.
DEGREES: B.S. with a concentration on speech, drama and history from Portland State University, 1964. M.S. and Ph. D. in rhetoric, rhetorical criticism and evidence from University of Pittsburgh, 1967 and 1968. Ph.D. Thesis: “Rhetorical Analysis of 1be Origin of Species and of American Christianity’s Response to Darwinism.”
COURSES TAUGHT: Speech Comm. 220, “Introduction to Public Speaking;” Speech Comm. 320, “Advanced Public Speaking;” Speech Comm. 424, “Rhetorical Perspective in Intellectual Revolutions;” Speech Comm. 425 and 426, “American Public Address I and II;” Speech Comm. 428, “British Public Address;” Speech Comm. 510, “Rhetoric and Society;” Speech Comm. 523, “Studies in Renaissance and Modern Rhetoric;” Speech Comm. 524, “Studies in Contemporary Rhetoric;” Speech Comm. 525, “Rhetorical Criticism;” Speech Comm. 593, “Seminar in Rhetorical Theory.”
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Rhetorical theory especially as it applies to Charles Darwin.
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “Whenever I walk by his office, there seems to be one of his undergraduate students sitting there, talking with John. If you decide to wait for the session to end, you had better plan on waiting a long time. … He has taken a course, public speaking, which is in many universities a rather simple skills course, and has turned it into a brilliant course of liberal study, a course in which students not only learn to speak, but they learn to think, to reason, and to adjust ideas to audiences. … If anyone in this University wants to know what good teaching is, and wants to see and hear it in action, all they have to do is hang around John Campbell awhile.”
COMMENT FROM STUDENTS: “John is … a warm and concerned human being who serves as a sterling mentor for younger scholars. … Each student who steps into his office is thrown into the maelstrom of great ideas where they too can contribute to the creation of ‘knowledge.’ … Campbell is notorious for jumping on tables and spouting words from some famous American or British speech, or standing on his head in the middle of our ‘Red Square’ to demonstrate how Marx turned Hegel upside down.”
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Douglas Ingram
HOME: Seattle
AGE:25
OCCUPATION: Teaching Assistant in the Department of Astronomy. Also Head Tutor with the Minority Science and Engineering Program in the College of Engineering.
DEGREES: B.A. in astronomy from the University of Texas, 1990. M.S. in astronomy from the UW, 1991. Ph.D. candidate in astronomy, University of Washington.
COURSES TAUGHT: TA in Astronomy 101, “Astronomy;” Astronomy 150, “The Planets;” Astronomy 201, “The Universe and the Origin of Life;” Astronomy 212, “Life in the Universe.”
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Thesis topic: “Probing for Redshift Galaxies.” Also active in astronomy department’s TA training program and its efforts to integrate computers into 100-level courses.
IMMEDIATE FUTURE PLANS: Complete Ph.D. in 1995 and then find a job teaching at a university.
COMMENT FROM STUDENT: “Students seem to like him, and not because he gives away the answers to the exams (which is how many TAs manage to get positive reviews from students). He gives them effective help in learning and his students achieve better grades because of it.”
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “The [student] evaluation yields an ‘Instructor’s Effectiveness’ rating of 4.77 for Ingram. These grades are the highest ever achieved in astronomy by any teacher—faculty or TA—in my 12 years at the UW. Impressive as these grades may be, they fail to tell the remarkable story of this student’s extraordinary motivation and intense joy in teaching. Ingram, as a Native American ethnic minority, has fellowship support from both the UW Danforth program and also a prestigious National Science Foundation award. Thus he has no financial need to be a TA. You can imagine my surprise the first time he came to me pleading to be allowed to TA for free in 100-level astronomy courses, simply because he enjoys it so much. The request has since stopped surprising me, as he makes it every quarter.”
Peter Shaffer
HOME: Seattle
AGE:34
OCCUPATION: Teaching Assistant in the Department of Physics. DEGREES: B.S. in mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1982. M.S. in physics from University of Washington, 1991. Ph.D. candidate in physics, University of Washington. COURSES TAUGHT: Physics 101, 102 and 103, “Physics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers;” Physics 407, 408 and 409, “Physics for High School Teachers.” Lead TA for developing tutorials stressing an inquiry-oriented approach to physics under the University’s Entry Level Initiative. These tutorials are now incorporated into Physics 121-122-123.
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Thesis topic: “Research as a Guide for Curriculum Development: A Description of the Process in the Context of Introductory Physics.” Revised Physics by Inquiry, a laboratory-based instructional material for K-12 teachers.
IMMEDIATE FUTURE PLANS: Complete Ph.D. in 1993 and continue at the UW as a post-doctoral fellow.
COMMENT FROM STUDENTS: “Peter is a dedicated, inspirational, master teacher with an intense desire to make physics understandable to his students. … Has the ability to break concepts down into digestible pieces that … lead a student into the ‘aha’ of learning. … As a ‘returning student’ with … very little exposure to physics I entered his class with dread. … He spent the time necessary to reach the ‘aha’ before moving on, always giving the impression that the only thing that mattered was my understanding of the material being taught.”
COMMENT FROM FACULTY: “In my 30 years with the physics department I have found nobody as uniquely capable as Peter Shaffer in the ability to communicate the substance of physics to undergraduates. … With Peter’s help we are well on our way to a change in our introductory courses which is both positive and permanent.”
UW Outstanding Public Service Award
Hubert G. Locke
HOME: Seattle
AGE:59
DEGREES: B.A. in Latin and Greek from Wayne State University, 1955. B.D. in New Testament studies from Chicago Theological Seminary, 1959. M.A. in comparative literature from University of Michigan, 1961.
OCCUPATION: Professor in the UW Graduate School of Public Affairs. Authority on issues of social justice, including race relations, ethics in government, public safety and the Holocaust. Previous occupations: Assistant to Detroit police commissioner, executive director of the Citizens Committee for Equal Opportunity (Detroit).
SERVICE TO THE STATE, NATION AND WORLD: Currently member of the Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency, the Commission on State Trial Courts, Governor’s Commission on Government Ethics and Campaign Reform, Group Health Foundation Board of Directors, and Lakeside School Board of Trustees. Previously served on King County Ethics Board, 1984-87; Region IV Advisory Committee of the Department of Social and Health Services, 1984-87; Governor’s Committee on Law and Justice, 1977-79. Co-chaired Seattle Mayor Norm Rice’s transition team and was a member of Gov. Mike Lowry’s transition team. Also served on Board of Trustees, National Academy of Public Administrators, and on the education and church relations committees of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.
COMMENT ON HIS SERVICE: “In my many years of public service, few members of the community have given so much as Hubert Locke. … He has a special talent for motivating individuals and effectively utilizing their best energies. Many times I have seen him use those traits to bring people together in the most difficult of situations. He has made all of us in public service see the value of utilizing the resources of the University in solving the practical problems of the public sector,” Mike Lowry, Governor, State of Washington.
UW Recognition Award
Hunter Simpson
HOME: Mercer Island, Wash.
AGE:66
DEGREE: B.A. in business from the UW, 1949
OCCUPATION: Retired president of Physio-Control, a Redmond medical technology company. Simpson became president of the then-struggling firm in 1965. Under his leadership it became a business legend, dominating its market worldwide. The company was bought by Eli Lilly and Co. in 1980. He retired in 1986.
SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY: Regent of the University of Washington, 1981-1993; President of the UW Alumni Association, 1980-81; Member of the UW Development Fund Board, 1974-79. He and his wife, Dottie, have made many generous personal gifts, as well as inspiring others to give. He helped raise money for both the Robert A. Bruce Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Research and the Belding Scribner Chair in Medicine.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “The University of Washington is this state’s most precious asset. Continued growth isn’t going to happen because we build airplanes, but because we have this University that turns out qualified young men and women who make this state go.”
COMMENT ON HIS SERVICE: “The qualities of enthusiasm, intelligence and farsightedness that Hunter brings to any enterprise have had an impact not only on business in the Northwest, but also on the University of Washington. For nearly two decades we have looked to Hunter for energetic and generous leadership. Never are we disappointed,” Marilyn Dunn, UW Vice President for Development.
UWAA Public Service Award
Bruce Walker
HOME: Seattle
AGE: 59
DEGREE: B.A. in business from the UW, 1956
OCCUPATION: President of Valco Graphics, Inc., a Seattle printing company specializing in periodical, publication and software manual printing.
SERVICE TO THE UW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION: President, UW Alumni Association, 1991-92. Under Walker’s term, the association became a “volunteer-driven” organization, where decision-making shifted from staff to volunteers and the UWAA board. He instituted a new long-range planning model, helped launch a new system of fiscal controls and helped foster a 3.5 percent membership growth. Walker has also served on the Columns Advisory Committee since its inception in 1989.
OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE: Past President, Puget Sound Chapter, March of Dimes, and of Friends of the Seattle Public Library; President-Elect, Seattle Rotary; Board Member, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Washington Athletic Club and Sigma Nu Chapter House; Member, UW President’s Club.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “In every phase of my life there are the University’s footprints: my marriage (Judy Hawkins Walker, ’55); my family (all three children went to the UW); my business. Many of the values we hold to be important have had their genesis at the University. … I put a high value on volunteerism. Giving back to the community is like casting bread upon the waters.”
COMMENT ON HIS SERVICE: “His attention and devotion to the association are inspiring. In the hundreds of times that we met over the course of his presidency, I always knew that I had his undivided focus on the matters at hand. He made himself aware of not only the prevailing issues but also of the staff and their welfare. Bruce was, in every sense of the word, a leader, and we all, staff and volunteers alike, grew from his guidance and concern. A man of principle and integrity, he is the boss or the father that we would all like to have,” Jon K. Rider, Executive Director, UW Alumni Association.