2018 Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence

Citation for John Swaddle

In his commitment to using evidence-based methods to develop student skills, knowledge, and applications of biology, Professor Swaddle has proven himself to be an excellent and innovative teacher.

Immersing himself in the Biology Department's introductory sequence of courses, he helped to change dramatically the department's freshman curriculum in order to increase access to professors and improve the development of students' skills and understanding – both by teaching the redesigned courses and by mentoring other instructors, achieving strong learning outcomes and winning highly positive student reviews.

His consistent emphasis on undergraduate student research has yielded a total of eight published papers with student coauthors in just the past two years, and includes the yearly opportunity to practice research skills in Australia through his National Science Foundation grant concerning behavioral ecology research training in that country's tropical savannah. His students routinely gain the knowledge and training that prepare them for a broad range of careers, with many students continuing on to graduate work for a Ph.D.

Previous recognition has included a Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence (2010), a State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award (2015), and selection for the two-year English-Stonehouse Fellowship (2017). It is fitting that he now be recognized with the Arts & Sciences 2018 Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence.