Faculty Awards
Bay Path College annually recognizes outstanding faculty who have made significant contributions in the areas of teaching, research and service.
The Faculty Outstanding Research, Scholarly Activity, and Creative Works Prize
Sponsored by the Division of Research and Academic Resources, Office of Research
This award is given to a faculty member who has performed research, conducted scholarly activities, undertaken creative work, or contributed to their field, while serving as a positive role model for students.
2012 Recipient: Dr. Gina Semprebon, Professor of Biology and Chair of the Science Department
Focusing on paleo-ecology and paleo-diet of fossil mammals, especially herbivores, Dr. Semprebon collaborates with scientists around the world to analyze diet and tooth wear and has developed a process to answer many paleo-ecological questions, including recent work on fossil mammoths and ungulates (horses, bison etc). She is one of about 40 scientists investigating Ardi, the most recent oldest human ancestor--4.4 million years old, and has been referenced for work in Science magazine and the Discovery Channel.
Since 2009, Dr. Semprebon has been a contributing author on over 14 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and she has been the lead author on 3 of those articles. Her most recent article, “Paleo-indian subsistence strategies and late Pleistocene paleo-environments in the northeastern and southwestern United States: a tooth wear analysis”, was authored by her and a colleague and appeared in the Journal of Archaelogical Science.
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The Thumbprint Award
This award recognizes a faculty member who has shown innovative or creative thinking in applying the Thumbprint—the signature, defining element of the student experience—in his or her course(s).
2012 Recipient: Dr. Robert Surbrug, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program
Dr. Surbrug has the dual capability of demonstrating empathy for his students, yet also continually driving them toward academic success. His administration of the Honors Program, a recognizable interdisciplinary component of the Bay Path College undergraduate experience, engages students to pursue knowledge through critical thinking and objective research. As one of the co-developers of the One America Program, he has introduced our students to the power of experiential learning and academic travel.
His commitment to basic decency and collegiality have also made him the most respective of colleagues. Always willing to contribute, always on hand to help, Professor Surbrug is the embodiment of all that is positive about the Bay Path College educational experience.
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The Estelle Leavitt Award for Teaching Excellence
Named in honor of Estelle Leavitt who served on the faculty at Bay Path from 1991 to 2011 and was Chair of the Education Department from 1999 to 2011, this award recognizes faculty who are passionate educators going above and beyond the call of duty for students and the Bay Path community.
2012 Recipient: Dr. Lori Vaughn, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department
Dr. Lori Vaughn has garnered the admiration from both fellow faculty members and students for her kindness, community presence, and patience that extends beyond her love for teaching. Always available for her students, she is on campus before dawn each weekday and has enforced a personal discipline of responding to student emails within 24 hours.
Her open door policy as a mentor equally serves other faculty as well as students, and her humble and sincere demeanor allows for a classroom experience where learning is truly prized. A passionate advocate for her discipline, she also enthusiastically accepts teaching assignments outside of her department. Dr. Vaughn’s dedication to her students and the Occupational Therapy profession have gone beyond the ordinary…they are extraordinary.
