Academy of Distinguished Educators
Seven new members, two fellows, and one honorary fellow were inducted into the NYU Academy of Distinguished Educators on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at a ceremony held in Rosenthal Auditorium. Clay Shirky, Vice Provost for AI and Technology in Education at NYU, delivered keynote remarks.
Inductees
This year's inductees are Dr. Asma Almaidhan, clinical assistant professor of orthodontics; Dr. Rose Amable, clinical assistant professor of pediatric dentistry; Dr. Monica Bebawy, clinical instructor of general dentistry & comprehensive care; Dr. Courtney Chinn, clinical associate professor of pediatric dentistry; Dr. Natalia Elson, clinical assistant professor of general dentistry & comprehensive care; Dr. Young K. Kim, clinical assistant professor of prosthodontics; and Dr. Yon Lai, adjunct clinical professor of orthodontics.
Fellow Inductees
Dr. Mary Kang, clinical associate professor of periodontology & implant dentistry, and and Dr. Stefania Moglia Willis were inducted as fellows, and Dr. Brian Schmidt, senior vice dean of research development & academic affairs and professor of oral & maxillofacial surgery was inducted as an honorary fellow.
Award Recipients
Dr. Jennifer Leighton, clinical instructor of general dentistry & comprehensive care, and Dr. Oluwatosin Oyenuga, clinical instructor of general dentistry & comprehensive care, both received the Rising Faculty Award. Ms. Jean Giordano, executive director of communications & public affairs, received the Educational Contribution Award.
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
2024-2025 Executive Committee:
Paul Baker (Chairperson), Elena Cunningham (Chair-Elect), Lucretia DePaola-Cefola, Angela De Bartolo, Michael Ferguson, Peter Mychaljiw, Aaron Soeprono