2024 Teaching Awards

Tulane honored dedicated faculty members with university-wide teaching awards during the 2024 Unified Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 18, 2024.

Ricardo Cortez

Pendergraft William Larkin Duren Professor in the Department of Mathematics in the School of Science and Engineering
Tulane President’s Award for Excellence in Professional and Graduate Teaching

Cortez has focused on increasing the representation of women and racial groups who have been historically underrepresented in mathematics departments. In a nominating letter, a colleague wrote, “For more than two decades, I have watched Ricardo be a champion and advocate for graduate students …” Another wrote, “I have witnessed Ricardo ‘meeting the students where they are,’ but then methodically ‘reaching out a hand and lifting them up’ to achieve levels of excellence.”

Adeline Masquelier

Professor in the Department of Anthropology in the School of Liberal Arts
Tulane President’s Award for Excellence in Professional and Graduate Teaching

Masquelier works to create a classroom environment that encourages collaboration, experimentation and growth. When nominating Masquelier, a former graduate student of hers said, “Almost a decade after earning my PhD under Adeline’s guidance, I still carry with me her advice, and I try to model the mentorship lessons I learned from her with my own students.” Another graduate student wrote, “Dr. Masquelier created a safe environment for our respective creative processes to unfold, thereby rooting me in my writing and intellectual practice.”

Katherine Theall

Cecile Usdin Professorship in Women’s Health in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Oliver Fund Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentoring

Theall has served as an unwavering mentor to countless postdoctoral fellows and junior and mid-level faculty. One faculty member wrote in their nomination, “She is a fearless advocate for junior faculty and has truly built a supportive network for many of us across disciplines to collaborate and expand our research portfolios.” Another said, “Dr. Theall’s mentorship extends far beyond academic guidance — she fosters an environment of trust, respect and interdisciplinary collaboration, empowering her mentees to thrive both personally and professionally.”

Carrie Wyland

Senior professor of practice in the Department of Psychology in the School of Science and Engineering
Suzanne and Stephen Weiss Presidential Fellowship for Undergraduate Education

Wyland aims to foster resilience among her students and believes in the importance of seeing students holistically while supporting their growth. A former student and teaching assistant wrote in Wyland’s nomination, “By using a variety of learning modalities … she ensured that students would be able to learn the material in the way that best suited them.” Another said, “Witnessing her immersed in lively discussions while strolling alongside a student is a clear demonstration of her authentic dedication to both her community and workplace.”

By: Alicia Serrano Bilich

Summer 2024