Dietram Scheufele, professor of life sciences communication and Taylor-Bascom Chair in Science Communication, is among 12 UW–Madison faculty members selected to receive this year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards, an honor given out since 1953 to recognize the university’s finest educators. The recipients were recently announced via UW–Madison News.

Dietram Scheufele, Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award

Scheufele’s career has been defined by his belief that being a great academic means being a great teacher. He shows students how research done at UW–Madison is directly relevant to their personal lives and future careers. Eight years ago, he created Science, Media and Society, a new course that looks at the increasingly complex relationship between science, engineering and society. The course is designed to help students understand and meaningfully navigate the controversial public debates surrounding the societal applications of modern science in fields like stem cell research, synthetic biology or artificial intelligence. Course evaluations and comments from students show an appreciation for his ability to make a large lecture hall a safe place for engagement and learning and create an open, respectful intellectual environment where all students are heard.