Two faculty honored by Iowa State University
Two faculty members in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric
Sciences have been recognized by Iowa State University recently.
Carl Jacobson, professor and chair of the Department of Geological
and Atmospheric Sciences, has received the ISU Alumni Association
Award for Superior Service to Alumni. This award recognizes an Iowa
State faculty or staff member who has demonstrated a commitment to
establishing or furthering alumni relationships with the university.
Jacobson received his award at the Sept. 11 ISU fall convocation.
Jane Pedrick Dawson, senior lecturer in geological and atmospheric
sciences, was honored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
at its Sept. 6 fall convocation. She received the LAS Excellence in
Undergraduate Introductory Teaching Award. This award recognizes outstanding
performance in teaching undergraduate introductory (entry-level) classes.
Dawson's effectiveness as a classroom instructor is best exemplified
by her outstanding course evaluations in introductory geology where
most of the students are non-scientists. Her evaluations from the
students are well above the departmental average for introductory
courses, probably due to the fact that she continually finds new ways
to excite and inspire students about geology.
Jacobson heads one of the university's most successful
academic department alumni relations programs. Activities include campus
reunions for department alumni every two years, alumni meetings in major
cities, meetings for meteorology alumni in conjunction with an annual
National Weather Service conference in Des Moines, and alumni involvement
in the department's geology field camp in Shell, Wyo., each summer.
In 2003, he organized a special reunion at the camp and more than 100
alumni participated. He also arranges for alumni to return to campus
as guest speakers in class.
