Physics Instructors Nominated for HOPE Awards
Physics department Professor Ursula Perez-Salas and Lecturer Adrian Barkan were nominated individually for Honoring Our Professors’ Excellence (HOPE) Awards in spring 2018.
The awards, sponsored by Campus Housing, “recognize faculty who have made a lasting impact on the lives of Housing residents.” The award nominations have a special significance because they honor the intangible, yet powerful connection that can form between teachers and students. In a university where awards for research are plentiful, the HOPE Award acknowledges the emotional and empathic labor that makes for life-changing education.
Ursula Perez-Salas was nominated by Benny Wah. He wrote in his nomination statement:
“Professor Perez-Salas has always shown me compassion and patience. She never hesitates to reach out and ask if I understand something and then explain it. She also demonstrates tremendous compassion by making sure I am doing well as a person. She has taught me not only how to be a scientist, but a decent human being.”
Adrian Barkan was nominated by Kaleb Vicary-Rzab. He writes:
“Barkan spends extra time to make sure his students understand any issue they may have with the homework or subject. He teaches in a way that gets students to interact with the session whether it be the demonstrations or the way he cleans the whiteboard, he always has our attention. He is by far my favorite teacher I have had here at UIC.”