Texas Tech University

College of Education announces faculty awards winners

Robert Stein

May 11, 2022

College of Education

The College of Education congratulates the winners of the 2021-2022 college faculty awards. Coordinated by the college's Faculty, Staff and Student Human Resources Committee, the awards recognize outstanding faculty achievement within the College of Education at Texas Tech University.

The awards share names with the university-sponsored faculty awards but are awarded independently by the College of Education. College winners are nominated for the matching university-level award:

Gina Childers Barnie E. Rushing, Jr. Faculty Distinguished Research Award – recognizing excellence in research, scholarship and creative activity.

Gina Childers, assistant professor of STEM education
Rebecca Hite Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award – recognizing outstanding research, scholarship and creative activity of faculty members in the developmental stages of their careers.

Rebecca Hite, assistant professor of STEM education
Shirley Matteson Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award – recognizing members of the College of Education teaching faculty for teaching excellence, as evidenced by their attainment of distinction both within and beyond the institution for outstanding teaching and outstanding contributions related to excellence in teaching.

Shirley Matteson, associate professor of curriculum and instruction and associate dean for research and faculty/staff development
Jian Wang Faculty Distinguished Leadership Award – for a record of outstanding service to the college.

Jian Wang, professor and Helen DeVitt Jones Chair in Teacher Education
Nicole Noble Hemphill-Wells New Professor Excellence in Teaching Award – honoring a faculty member who has been at Texas Tech no more than four years and whose excellence in teaching has been attested by students, faculty and administrators.

Nicole Noble, assistant professor of counselor education
Raymond Flores Piper Professor Award – for teaching and work with undergraduate students.

Raymond Flores, assistant professor of mathematics education
Comfort Pratt President's Academic Achievement Award – honoring excellence in achievement across the teaching-research-service missions of the university. Nominees must have three years of faculty service, recognition by peers in one or more areas, evidence of productive scholarship and demonstrated competence in the three areas.

Comfort Pratt, associate professor of bilingual education
Aaron Zimmerman President's Excellence in Teaching Award – in recognition of excellence in a teaching role.

Aaron Zimmerman, assistant professor of curriculum studies and teacher education
Joshua Cruz Spencer A. Wells Award for Creativity in Teaching – for creativity of the professor's approach to excellent teaching, as attested by students, faculty members and administrators.

Josh Cruz, assistant professor of qualitative research
Gina Childers Texas Tech Alumni Association New Faculty Award – recognizing outstanding faculty members who have four or fewer years of service at any university and based on student evaluations, innovative teaching activities, initiation of research/creative activities and interaction with students.

Gina Childers, assistant professor of STEM education