Linneman named state Professor of the Year

Western Washington University’s Scott Linneman, professor of Geology and Science Education, has been selected as the 2013 Washington Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Linneman, who has taught at Western since 2000, traveled to Washington D.C. with his daughter on Nov. 14 to accept the award – the first one ever received by a Western faculty member.

Linneman said that he would like to think of this award as being an acknowledgement of the attention and care that Western professors give to their students.

“I am humbled and proud to be receiving the award,” Linneman said. “Many professors here at Western are doing great things, I just happened to be the one nominated.”

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country – those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring undergraduate teaching.

Whenever he can, Linneman teaches Geology out in the field, as opposed to the classroom; his students have observed geologic processes first hand on the area’s rivers, beaches, glaciers and landslides and gone on overnight trips to national parks.

Professors are chosen for the Carnegie award based on the criteria that they show extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching. This is demonstrated by excellence in the following areas: impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contribution to undergraduate education in the institution, community and profession; and support from colleagues and former undergraduate students.

Linneman is very involved, inside and outside of Western, from running workshops for teachers in the Bellingham community to helping geoscience professors all over the country. As part of his professorial duties, he is a member of Western’s Science, Math and Technology Education program, assisting in the training of future science teachers. He was the president of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers which promotes teaching of Earth science and was recently awarded the association’s Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award. In 2001, he held a Senior Fulbright fellowship to conduct teacher training and research on science teachers in South Africa. In 2011, he was named Washington State’s Higher Education Science Teacher of the Year by the Washington Science Teachers Association.

Linneman received his bachelor’s degree from Carleton College and his doctorate from the University of Wyoming.

For more information on the award, contact Scott Linneman at scott.linneman@wwu.edu.