A professor who is a distinguished researcher and makes learning fun for students can be difficult to find.
But the President's Professor Award, a new faculty distinction, seeks to honor four ASU professors this year who have done both.
Randall Cerveny, a professor of geography, said he was "bowled over" and "extremely honored" to learn he won the distinction.
"This is quite an honor, and I hope to live up to the expectations," he said.
Cerveny has worked to make climatology labs more rigorous and has been a pioneer in restructuring lab classes so students learn by doing, said Richard Aspinall, chair of ASU's geography department.
"Professor Cerveny pours his every effort into ASU's undergraduates and graduates and is an inspiration to students who acquire skills necessary for life-long learning through his mentoring," he said. "He mentors students as undergraduates, through graduate school and then maintains linkages as their careers evolve."
This year's recipients also include Ian Gould, professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Alice Christie, associate professor of technology and education; and the late Paul Rothstein, associate professor of industrial design.
Rothstein died on March 8, shortly after he was nominated for the award.
"These individuals exemplify the high standards that will raise ASU to the next level of distinction," ASU President Michael Crow said in a press release. "They are extraordinary teachers and scholars, engaging students both within and outside the classroom and bringing innovation to their teaching as well as to their research."
The award includes a permanent $5,000 salary increase. Recipients will also be relieved of non-teaching responsibilities and given a $5,000 budget to dedicate their time to improving undergraduate education.
Cerveny said he plans to spend the extra time next year focusing on outreach programs that help draw K-12 students to ASU and bring alumni back to campus to share their experiences in the workforce with students.
"I see teaching as not only involving what we do when [the students] are [at ASU], but before they come here and after they come here," Cerveny said.
The basis of his teaching is getting students involved with the material through hands-on experience, Cerveny said.
"One of the fun things we've done in the past is storm chasing," he said. "It's an adrenaline rush. It's like chasing big game, basically. It really puts into focus what we talk about in the classroom when they see [a large storm] right before them, coming at them."
Nancy Selover, a doctoral candidate in meteorology who has taken classes with Cerveny, said the professor is approachable and enthusiastic about his classes.
"He makes [class] fun, interesting, and he makes it applicable to life," she said. "He very much enjoys his subject matter. He communicates that to you so that you tend to enjoy it."
Reach the reporter at elias.arnold@asu.edu.
