Douglas R. Anderson, associate professor of philosophy, and Paul E. Sokol, professor of physics, will receive the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Anderson joined the Penn State philosophy faculty in 1990. Prior to that, he was an assistant professor of philosophy at Wittenburg University, where he also served terms as director of American Studies and president of the Wittenburg Faculty Development Organization.

Since coming to Penn State, Anderson has earned the respect and admiration of students, consistently receiving the highest ratings possible in student evaluation surveys– a particularly noteworthy testament to his pedagogical prowess given the large lecture sections he often teaches. His active learning approach to education engages student participation and challenges students to explore the logic and ramifications of problems and ideas.

“My experiences in the classroom have confirmed an initial hope I had when I decided to teach – that learning is an adventure in transformation for both students and teachers,” said Anderson.“Most of my students are not and will not become philosophers, but all of my students can be brought to see the implications of thought for our daily lives. They sometimes come to see that our ordinary beliefs can have extraordinary consequences, beneficial and otherwise.”

Sokol has had a record of innovative teaching in the classroom throughout the 1990s. He has strived to personalize students’ educational experience and to incorporate modern teaching techniques to improve understanding and retention of complex physics topics. He has also been directly involved with revamping general education and lower level physics courses, giving them a more modern approach to the subject through the use of new technologies and computer-based laboratories.

In addition to his impact on the structure and infrastructure for teaching in the department at all levels, Sokol has also taken his expertise into the local community. He has carried out numerous scientific demonstrations for local elementary and preschools, organized lectures for young area artists and the Special Olympics, and been a judge for the Pennsylvania Science and Humanities Symposium for high school students.

Currently, Sokol is collaborating on a Web-based question forum,“Ask Dr. Science,” which provides the expertise of more than 40 Penn State faculty in a variety of subjects. The faculty answer queries submitted online from people ranging from middle school students to adults. This project is an example of the creative academic pursuits that have earned Sokol the Provost’s Award for Collaborative Instruction and Curricular Innovation an astounding three times.

The Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching recognizes outstanding efforts among tenured faculty who have been employed full time for at least five years with undergraduate teaching as a major portion of their duties. Milton S. Eisenhower, brother of former U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower, served as president of Penn State from 1950 to 1956.