DeAngelis honored as Faculty Excellence in Teaching winner for Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
Faculty Excellence award nominee Michael DeAngelis. Photo by Ben Krain.
Dr. Michael DeAngelis, associate professor of Earth Sciences, has been selected as the 2020 Faculty Excellence in Teaching award winner for the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology.
鈥淥ver the past 8.5 years, Dr. DeAngelis has built a very impressive record of teaching accomplishments, establishing himself as a dedicated teacher-scholar in the Department of Earth Sciences at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥 said Dr. Margaret 鈥淏eth鈥 McMillan, chair of the Department of Earth Sciences. 鈥淗e has dedicated almost all of his teaching, research, and service efforts to the goal of supporting students.鈥
DeAngelis is known for superior teaching, content knowledge, creative curriculum development, innovative teaching methods, and a serious commitment to professional development in teaching. In 2018, he was named a co-director of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Academy of Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE), where he is responsible for designing and planning pedagogical professional development events and activities for faculty at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.
鈥淚 have not, until now, written a letter in support of any faculty member at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for the Excellence in Teaching Award but, in Dr. DeAngelis鈥 case, I do so with delight,鈥 said J. Bradley Minnick, associate professor of English. 鈥淚 have also had the great honor to be able to work with him as an ATLE Co-director, and in that capacity, too, his world view exemplifies teaching excellence. Dr. DeAngelis uses a wide variety of techniques and is not afraid to be experimental.鈥
DeAngelis teaches courses in physical geology, field geology, mineralogy, environmental geology, igneous and metamorphic petrology, and planetary geology. His students give credit to his hands-on lab work for giving them an advantage in their careers.
鈥淒r. DeAngelis would use his own extensive experience in education, research, and field work to help students understand the concepts at hand,鈥 said Sarah Kuper, a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduate and former student of DeAngelis. 鈥淚n mineralogy, we were allowed to choose which rock we鈥檇 make a thin section to analyze. This project, along with the basics of optical mineralogy and petrology, allowed his students an edge in some career field. I, myself, would not have the job I have now as an asbestos microscopist without his tutelage.鈥
DeAngelis holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, as well as a master鈥檚 degree and Ph.D. in geology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.