The Jean C. Brierley Award for Excellence in College Teaching

About Jean Brierley

Professor Jean Brierley established an endowed fund in 1973 to recognize teaching in any field or discipline at the UNH. This fund was completed upon her death as a tribute to those members of the UNH faculty who have distinguished themselves as teachers. One award is given each academic year as our highest level of recognition for excellence in teaching. In conjunction with the UNH Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CEITL), recipients host an annual event to advance the teaching mission of the university.

Jean Brierley (1908-1986) graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1930 with a baccalaureate degree in Zoology. After leaving the University of New Hampshire, Ms. Brierley became a teaching assistant in the Zoology Department at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor until 1937. The University of Michigan awarded her the degree of Master of Science in 1931 and Doctor of Philosophy in 1937. In 1938, she moved to Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas, where she was an Assistant Professor in Biology. She joined the faculty at Michigan State College in 1945, teaching freshman biology and natural sciences. She retired from the faculty at Michigan State University in 1973 as a full Professor.

Professor Brierley was a member of many professional organizations including the Genetics Society of America, Society for the Study of Evolution, Michigan Academy of Science, Sigma Xi, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AASS). She was active in civic affairs as a member of the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Sierra Club, National Organization of Women, and Concerned Scientists. Her many interests also included travel.

The first Brierley Award was presented in 1991 to Lester A. Fisher of the Department of English. In the years since then each winner of the award has delivered a formal presentation on college teaching. 

YEAR

RECIPIENT

DEPARTMENT

PRESENTATION

2024 Russell Miles Decision Sciences  
2023 Karen Collins Kinesiology  

2022

Ellen Fitzpatrick

History

Video

2021

R. Scott Smith

Classics, Humanities & Italian Studies

Video

2020

Jo Laird

Department of Earth Sciences

2018

David Richman

Theatre & Dance

2017

Janet Polasky

History

2016

Gregory McMahon

Classics, Humanities, and Italian Studies

2015

Sarah Way Sherman 

English and American Studies

2014

Barry Fussell

Mechanical Engineering

2013

Winsor Watson

Biological Sciences

2012

Raymond Cook

Civil Engineering

2011

Lee Seidel

Health Management and Policy

2010

Stephen Hardy

Kinesiology

2009

Thomas Lee

Natural Resources and the Environment

2008

Peter Fernald

Psychology

2007

Charles Walker

Zoology

2006

Donald Hadwin

Mathematics and Statistics

2005

Gale Carey

Animal and Nutrition Sciences

2004

Carole Barnett

Management

2003

John Ernest

English

2002

Richard England

Economics

2001

P.T. Vasudevan

Chemical Engineering

2000

Ronald Croce

Kinesiology

1999

William Condon

Animal and Nutritional Sciences

1998

Terry Savage

Philosophy/Humanities, UNH-Manchester

1997

Robert Kertzer

Kinesiology

1996

David Hebert

Education

1995

Nancy Kinner

Civil Engineering

1994

Marc W. Herold

Economics

1993

Wallace Bothner

Earth Sciences

1992

Christopher F. Bauer

  Chemistry

1991

Lester A. Fisher

English