Lauren Genova, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is the co-editor of Teaching Gradually: Practical Pedagogy and Classroom Strategies for Graduate Students by Graduate Students, published by Stylus Publishing, LLC. It is the first book of its kind to be written exclusively by graduate students themselves. Written for graduate student instructors and early career faculty members, it features the voices and perspectives of 51 graduate student instructors across the United States and Canada, sharing their experiences with teaching in higher education. They discuss their favorite strategies for reaching diverse students and share personal anecdotes surrounding the college classroom. The common thread of diversity and inclusion runs throughout the book, along with strategies to apply many of the topics discussed to online classroom settings. In addition to serving as coeditor, Genova, who earned an honors degree in chemistry at UD in 2015, is the co-author with Kacie Armstrong of a chapter on “Teaching Undergraduate Students How to Critically Read the Primary Literature.” Another chapter in the book, “Making My Classroom Accessible for Me: Digital Practice as Inclusive Pedagogy," was written by UD alumnus Andy Jenks, who graduated with his Ph.D. in political science and international relations earlier this year and is now a member of UD’s Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning (CTAL).

Honors

Andrew Teplyakov, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Joshua Zide, professor of materials science and engineering, have been recognized for their research work and “outstanding scientific and technical contributions” by being named 2021 AVS Fellows. Teplyakov’s work focuses on surface functionalization, in which he and his team modify the chemical and physical properties of surfaces. Zide’s research has focused on new materials, namely making thin films of new materials by a technique called molecular beam epitaxy. AVS is an international organization that promotes research in the areas of surface, interface, vacuum and thin film science technology. The honor of fellow is a standing title, as long as Teplyakov and Zide are members of AVS.

Jennifer Biddle, professor in the School of Marine Science and Policy, has been selected as a recipient of the American Geophysical Union’s 2021 Joanne Simpson Medal. The medal is given annually to two to three mid-career honorees in recognition of their significant contributions to Earth and space science. Biddle researches the microbial ecology of marine systems, the life in the deep biosphere, benthic archaea and bacteria as well as geobiology. She is a valuable mentor for students, and in 2014, she started the MicroSeminar series, a web-based microbiology seminar series that brings together microbiologists from all over the world via Zoom to share their research and ideas. The medal is named in honor of Joanne Simpson, the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in meteorology who, during her career, made fundamental contributions to modern research on tropical clouds and hurricanes.

Alexander Selimov, professor of Spanish, Iberian and Latin American studies, was presented with the Certificate of Distinction in Creative Writing at the 2021 International literary festival Διεθνές Φεστιβάλ Διανοούμενων και Καλλιτεχνών «Επίσκεψη στις Μούσες» that took place in Heraklion, Crete (Greece).

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