Heather Walker, a teaching assistant professor and associate head of the Ralph Martin Department of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering, was recognized as the October 2022 Cordes Chair.

The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center invites six outstanding faculty members each academic year to serve as Wally Cordes Chairs and provide a personal talk about their teaching methods. Faculty are selected as Cordes Chairs because they embody the student-centered teaching excellence exhibited throughout the 40-plus year U of A career of Cordes, one of three founders of the TFSC.  The "chair" is named after a rocking chair that Cordes kept in his office for students to visit, which Walker will keep for one month.

Walker spoke about strategies she has developed as a silver lining to the pandemic. She developed an appreciation for students feeling like they are a part of a campus community and has led efforts in her department to continue to connect with students on a personal level.  She also solidified her use of technology and continues to seek ways to incorporate it into her courses. 

Walker teaches Thermodynamics, which is a required course for sophomores in her department. She received the Outstanding Teaching Award through the American Society for Engineering Education in 2022. She has also been awarded the Nontenure Track Teaching Award for the College of Engineering and has been recognized by the Associated Student Government and the Student Alumni Board as an Outstanding Professor. She is a certified peer observer through the TFSC.

In a partnership with the Office of Scholarly Communications, Mullins Library, and the TFSC, the presentation is available on ScholarWorks.