The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign each year presents Campus Awards for Excellence in Instruction to exceptional faculty and staff members, graduate teaching assistants, and advisors campuswide. The recipients were honored at a March 25 ceremony.
Awardees are cited for sustained excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate teaching, undergraduate and graduate advising and mentoring, online teaching, and research guidance. The Office of the Provost sponsors the awards. Learn more about each honoree as excerpted from their nominators.
Bryan Dunne
Bryan Dunne, a teaching assistant professor of astronomy, was awarded the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. The Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising is designed to foster and reward excellence in involving and guiding undergraduate students in scholarly research.
Bryan creates clear and supportive pathways for student success across four majors. Through his innovative ASTR 199 course, proactive outreach, and deep commitment to equity, he has strengthened recruitment, retention, and graduate placement. Dunne helps students clarify their goals and collaborates with them to build academic plans that reflect their aspirations.
Leslie Looney
Astronomy professor Leslie Looney received the Excellence in Online Teaching award. Faculty members who have taught at least three credit-bearing online courses over the past five years are eligible for this award.
Professor Looney pioneered a new standard in online STEM education through purpose-built astronomy courses that reach thousands of students annually, transform learning and engagement at scale, and dismantle barriers to participation. He clearly communicates expectations, provides timely and constructive feedback, and actively engages students through discussion boards and announcements, resulting in high levels of student engagement and motivation.
Congratulations to both!