School of Arts and Sciences

Brandeis Prize for Excellence in Teaching

The Louis Dembitz Brandeis Prize for Excellence in Teaching honors an individual for their outstanding teaching. 

The $2,500 award is presented annually at the April faculty meeting.

Faculty, staff, students, and alumni are invited to submit nominations. The recipient is selected by the Dean of Arts and Sciences upon the recommendation of a committee consisting of three faculty, including previous Teaching Prize recipients, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Decisions are based on nomination letters, teaching evaluations, Faculty Activity Reports and CVs. Nominations are due by March 1 of each year.

2023 Recipient

Kene Piasta
Assistant Professor of Biology

Nominator Comments

• "What makes him a great professor is the quality of his character. The best teachers, in my experience, are those who care for their students first. Professor Piasta is exactly that. Professor Piasta is worthy and deserving of any of the teaching awards-- as he is an exemplary person and an excellent professor. "
  
• "Kene is fabulous, innovative classroom professor who has demonstrated a commitment to inclusive teaching and mentoring practices. Our division of science simply would not be the same without him."
  
• "He has not only helped me to fall in love with biology even further, but has offered me guidance towards my future. This is what sets him apart from other professors; even though he teaches large classes and has a busy schedule, he is willing to take the time to sit down and discuss a student’s future endeavors. As he said to me, that is his favorite part of the job."

Past Recipients