UH Recognizes Recipients of 2003 Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

University of Hawaiʻi

The University of Hawai'i has announced the recipients of the 2003 Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. The award is a memorial to the late Frances Davis, who taught mathematics at Leeward Community College and UH Mānoa for 19 years, and recognizes UH faculty members for dedication and demonstrated excellence as teachers of undergraduate students.

This year‘s recipients are:

David Cleveland is a professor of sociology at Honolulu Community College. He has been described as a teacher and mentor of extraordinary proportions, and as someone who can bring out the best in others. As one of his students wrote, "It was through his support and encouragement that I found myself actually believing I could succeed in college."

Barbara Hotta is a professor of information and computer science at Leeward Community College. She has expanded the ICS curriculum, recruited talented new faculty to the computer science program, focused on bringing quality and innovative programming to students, and created impressive partnerships that benefit the campus.

Linda Middleton is an assistant professor in the UH Mānoa Department of English and teaches a variety of composition and literature courses. While teaching these courses, her main concern is the enhancement of students‘ basic writing skills. In literature classes, Middleton‘s ability to listen and consider a variety of interpretations is a consistent observation noted by students.

Brian Yamamoto is an associate professor of biological science at Kauaʻi Community College. He has already garnered numerous awards and accomplishments, including the Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching Award in 1988. He is presently fulfilling a Title III Grant (2000-05) to develop curriculum for infusion of Hawaiian values into science courses in order to improve the success of Native Hawaiians in the field of science.A graduate teaching assistant award is also presented each year, and this year‘s recipient is Brandon Ledward, a doctoral candidate in the UH Mānoa Department of Anthropology. Ledward believes that the hallmark of a quality education is the ability to combine different streams of knowledge in imaginative ways. His teaching philosophy springs from his experience as a teaching assistant and instructor, as well as from his cultural roots and personal journeys throughout life.