Civil Engineering Professor Receives University's Top Teaching Honor

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Norm Dennis, professor of civil engineering, was named winner of the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award for 2008 at the General Commencement Ceremony on May 10. This is the university’s most prestigious teaching award.

“I am really privileged to have a group of peers and students who think enough of my teaching to nominate me for this award,” said Dennis. “I was humbled when I thought about the company I was in - considering the previous recipients of the award.”

Dennis is a native of Macon, Mo. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, a master’s degree in business administration from Boston University, and his doctorate from the University of Texas-Austin. He joined the University of Arkansas in 1996. Dennis is a registered professional engineer in Colorado and Arkansas. His specialty area is geotechnical engineering, but his passion is teaching, both undergraduate and graduate students, and mentoring junior faculty.

In addition to the Baum Faculty Teaching Award, Dennis has also received the Chi Epsilon National Award (James M. Robbins Award) for Outstanding Teaching in Civil Engineering in 2008; was named a Fellow of the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy in 2006; and received the Excellence in Civil Engineering Education Leadership Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2006.

“He is a remarkable teacher; he is an accomplished education scholar; and he is tireless in his service to the educational mission of his profession, his university and his department,” said Kevin Hall, head of the civil engineering department. “We are very proud of Norm’s extraordinary dedication to providing the best education possible for our students.”