Kerri Green

Last month, President Timmons recognized longtime lab instructor Ed Whelan with the President’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Lecturers and Instructional Staff category. Dr. Yolanda Wiersma was motivated to spearhead the nomination after working closely with Ed, and the team of first-year instructors in the early days of the pandemic to implement quantitative training in our first year courses. Dr. Hurford, who has been leading the effort to increase quantitative training across the curriculum supported the nomination, saying “Ed Whalen’s contributions to the launch of our quantitative training program in BIOL 1001 go beyond the traditional view of what it is to be an exceptional teacher: this contribution will open a world of opportunities for our students…”

Ed’s contribution to the Biology department go beyond this initiative. Students have long recognized Ed’s dedication to teaching. Former student Oluwadunsin Jenrola described Ed as “a phenomenal instructor who takes the meaning of love for work to another level. His drive and passion for his job is one of the many things that make him outstanding. He is always ready to provide a helping hand, a listening ear and good advice.” Biology alumna Olga Trela echoed this sentiment, saying that, “Ed Whelan is a great instructor, [he] makes students feel welcome, creates an atmosphere conductive to learning”

The Biology Department places a high degree of value on the undergraduate program, and takes pride in the hands-on training offered in our teaching labs. All of our instructional staff are dedicated members of the team, and Ed’s colleagues were firmly behind the nomination as an outstanding teacher. We were all thrilled when he was selected for the award. Congratulations Ed!