CWU Recognizes Distinguished Professors

June 3, 2008

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Central Washington University professors from the fields of science, mathematics and philosophy have been named recipients of the 2008-09 Distinguished Professor awards and will be recognized Friday, June 6 at the 2008 Honors Convocation at CWU in McConnell Auditorium.

The designation has been a CWU tradition since 1977; focusing on honoring those who have shown outstanding accomplishments in teaching; research; artistic accomplishment and invention; and service.

This year's designees are: chemistry professor Dr. Martha Kurtz, Distinguished Professor for Service; mathematics professor Dr. Scott Lewis; Distinguished Professor for Teaching; and philosophy professor Dr. Chenyang Li, Distinguished Professor for Research.

Each distinguished professor will receive a $2,500 monetary award. The professors were chosen in May during a Board of Trustees meeting after being nominated by their colleagues.

"Professors Kurtz, Lewis and Li are very deserving of this award. They represent excellence, each in their own way, and maintain high educational standards for themselves, as well as their students," said Wayne Quirk, CWU provost/senior vice president for academic affairs.

Mathematics professor Scott Lewis joined CWU's faculty in 1988. Since then, he's prepared thousands of Central students in the field of elementary mathematics education and taught numerous other math courses, including linear algebra, non-Euclidian geometry, the theory of numbers and calculus.

Lewis is passionate about teaching and strives to keep his courses engaging. "When things are really cooking in the classroom, it's obvious and all the students feel it," he said.

"This (award) is really a tribute to CWU students," Lewis said. "I just draw out something that's already there."

Lewis said he lives for the ah-ha moment, when a student's eyes light up and they begin to fully grasp not only the subject at hand, but the connectivity of all subjects as well.

He strives to teach students that all things are connected, and often brings other realms of study into his math courses, including biology, astronomy, history and environmentalism.

Lewis's career is a prestigious and accomplished one. In 1996 he was named a J. William Fulbright Fellow. He spent two years as Chair of CWU's Mathematics Department and has been published in numerous journals. Lewis received his doctorate in mathematics education from Oregon State University, his master's degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Colorado, and his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Colorado.

During his nine years at CWU, philosophy professor Chenyang Li has worked as an instructor, department chair and scholar. His research has garnered him prestigious accolades and been widely distributed.

"I believe that university professors should be scholars, and good scholarship comes from meaningful research," Li said. "I genuinely enjoy reading and writing on topics such as truth, knowledge, morality and value. I feel fortunate to be able to make a living by doing what I love to do."

Along with his daily teaching schedule and position as Philosophy and Religious Studies Department chair, Li sits on eight editorial book and journal boards, is a peer reviewer for eleven professional philosophy journals, has authored or been chief editor of four books, and contributed chapters to eight other books.

Li has published more than 17 peer-reviewed research papers in several prestigious journals, some of which accept only about 10 percent of submissions due to extremely rigorous standards.

Li teaches a wide variety of philosophy courses, including Asian philosophy, environmental ethics and religions of Asia.

He earned his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Connecticut, his master's of public administration, also from the University of Connecticut, a master's degree in philosophy from Peking (Beijing) University, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy, also from Peking University.

Chemistry professor Martha Kurtz has focused her career on serving others by creating programs that provide science education to underrepresented populations, young women and other groups.

"I am the most proud of Expanding Your Horizons, a day-long conference where middle school girls attend hands-on workshops presented by female scientists and mathematicians," Kurtz said. "In 10 years of my leadership, the program has grown from less than 100 girls attending to more than 450; 68 percent of which are from underrepresented groups of students."

Kurtz aspires to "help people of all ages experience the joy of inquiry and value the understanding and use of science in a democratic society, particularly with respect to creating a sustainable environment."

She has worked at Central since 1995, teaching as an assistant chemistry professor, and has spent the last seven years as the Chemistry Department's chair. Kurtz currently serves as the interim dean for the College of the Sciences.

Her research interests involve improving critical thinking skills of students in general science education courses and finding more ways to integrate elementary and college learning using the environment.

The Cle Elum/Roslyn School District's Project CAT (Cougars and Teaching) is a great example of this type of learning. "Students work with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to collar and track cougars," Kurtz explained.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Northern Arizona University, her master's degree in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her doctorate in chemical education from Arizona State University.

Media Contact: Teri Olin, CWU Public Relations & Marketing, olint@cwu.edu, 509-963-1416

Central Washington University is a master's degree-granting institution with approximately 10,000 students and 1,500 faculty and staff. More than 160 undergraduate and master's degrees are offered. Founded in 1891, the Ellensburg campus is located in the heart of Washington State, nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. Since 1975, CWU has served the needs of place bound students at six university centers throughout the state. CWU is an AA/EEO Title IX Institution.