Pomara, Dodge Recognized as Outstanding Teachers at UT Dallas

Two educators at the University of Texas at Dallas — Dr. John Pomara and Dr. Nathan Dodge — have been selected as outstanding teachers for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Pomara, an associate professor in the School of Arts and Humanities, will receive the Chancellor’s Council Award, which is provided annually by The University of Texas System to recognize excellence in teaching at each of the system’s nine general academic institutions.  Dodge, a senior lecturer in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, has been selected for the newly created President’s Outstanding Teaching Award, established this year by UT Dallas President David E. Daniel to recognize the contributions of non-tenure track faculty.

“The faculty at UT Dallas are some of the best and brightest academia has to offer, and it is fitting that we honor them for their dedication to their profession,” Daniel said.  “Drs. Pomara and Dodge have enthusiastically engaged and challenged their students, while preparing them for real-world careers.  On behalf of this university and UT System, I thank them.”

Pomara’s award is accompanied by a $3,000 gift from UT System and a $2,000 contribution from UT Dallas for a total of $5,000.  Dodge’s award includes a $3,000 stipend from the university.

There were 350 nominations for 95 eligible tenure track faculty for the Chancellor’s Council Award.  In his recommendation letter, Dr. Dennis Kratz, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, pointed out that the visual arts are flourishing at the university, not coincidentally with the arrival of Pomara.  Kratz noted the professor has “inspired, matured and led the transformation of the arts at UT Dallas.”

One student offered high praise of Pomara:  “Not only has John Pomara been supporting and understanding of students’ personal artistic struggles, he has been an invaluable resource of knowledge, enthusiasm and unfailing belief in student potential.”

Pomara, who joined UT Dallas in 1999, offers a wide range of courses at the university, some devoted primarily to painting and artistic creation, some focused on understanding contemporary art and others a mixture of creation and examination.  Pomara makes a point of connecting the university with the community by regularly taking classes to the Dallas Museum of Art, to homes of Dallas art collectors and to local art galleries.  He received his BFA from East Texas State University, Commerce in 1978 and completed his MFA there in 1980, in conjunction with the Studio Arts Program at Empire State University in New York.

There were 775 nominations for 178 non-tenure track faculty submitted for the President’s Outstanding Teaching Award.  In his recommendation letter, Dr. Robert Helms, dean of the Jonsson School, noted that Dodge’s “enthusiasm, high standards and dedication have had an immediate impact on our students.”  According to Helms, Dodge has been “instrumental in bringing the department’s labs up to top standards.”

Of Dodge, students wrote:  “Dr. Dodge is truly passionate about teaching, and I feel honored to have studied under him” and “His course was engaging and challenging, while keeping the experience interesting.”

Dodge, who is the lead faculty member overseeing all undergraduate labs for the electrical engineering department, joined UT Dallas in 1998.  Prior to that, he worked at Texas Instruments from 1973 to 1998.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.  His work is focused on the design of digital computer systems.

Both awards will be presented on Friday, May 4, during the Honors Convocation at the Activity Center on the UT Dallas campus.  Pomara will deliver a brief speech during the 4:30 p.m. ceremony.

About UT Dallas

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 14,500 students.  The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores.  The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs.  For additional information about UT Dallas, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.

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