Academy of Distinguished Educators

Academy of Distinguished Educators Inducts New Members and Fellows

Four new members, one fellow, and one honorary fellow were inducted into the NYU Academy of Distinguished Educators on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at a ceremony held in Rosenthal Auditorium.

Inductees

This year's inductees are Dr. Vasiliki Karlis, associate professor of oral & maxillofacial surgery; Dr. Arthi Kumar, clinical assistant professor of oral & maxillofacial pathology, radiology and medicine; Dr. George Raymond, clinical assistant professor of general dentistry & comprehensive care; and Dr. Vera Tang, clinical assistant professor of periodontology & implant dentistry.

Fellow Inductees

Dr. Aaron Soeprono, clinical assistant professor of general dentistry & comprehensive care was inducted as a fellow, and Professor Dianne Sefo, clinical associate professor and chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene & Dental Assisting, was inducted as an honorary fellow.  

Award Recipients

Dr. Monica Bebawy, adjunct instructor of general dentistry & comprehensive care, and Dr. Serena Simone, clinical assistant professor in the Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities, both received the Rising Faculty Award. Ms. Isabella Pellicciari, department manager for the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Medicine received the Educational Contribution Award.

In Memoriam

The ceremony included a moment of silence honoring Dr. Andrew Schenkel, Academy Chair for 2021-22, and Prof. Winnie Furnari, Academy Fellow.
 


Mission

The mission of the NYU Academy of Distinguished Educators is to enhance overall teaching at the NYU College of Dentistry and to stimulate excitement among teachers around their intellectual content.

About the Academy

The NYU Academy of Distinguished Educators is an expression of the College's commitment to excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship. Central to the vision of the Academy is the idea that teaching and learning is fundamental to the core mission of the College and faculty members should be valued for their contributions in this area.

The goals of the Academy are to:

  • Advance the art and science of teaching and learning at the College
  • Stimulate interest in teaching practice, change, innovation, and scholarship
  • Network and collaborate with educators within and beyond the College to share best practices

To achieve these goals, the Academy will:

  • Provide mentorship and support to other faculty members
  • Function as a think-tank, exploring issues pertaining to teaching and learning
  • Encourage teaching excellence by inviting experts to share their perspectives
  • Develop venues so that faculty members can present new ideas, methods, and research
  • Encourage and fund projects that advance the teaching mission of the College
     

Charles Bertolami on the establishment of the NYU Academy of Distinguished Educators