Though their teaching areas vary, the six faculty members receiving this years West Virginia University Foundation Outstanding Teacher Award share many qualitiesa style that challenges students to solve problems, an interest in bringing the latest technology to the learning process and a commitment to working one-on-one with students.

The honorees will receive their awards Friday, April 14, at a ceremony that is part of WVU ’s Weekend of Honors celebration April 13-15a WVU 2000 event. Each will receive a $2,500 honorarium.

Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Kashy Aminian has integrated the results of his research into the 10 different graduate and undergraduate courses he has taught since coming to WVU in 1983. A recipient of enthusiastic student evaluations, he has coached students who have often placed first in a paper contest sponsored by the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He is the Department of Petroleum Engineerings graduate coordinator.

Dr. Aminian received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and his bachelors degree from Tehran University. From 1991-1995, he served as associate dean for academic affairs and research in the College of Mineral and Energy Resources, which has since merged with the College of Engineering to become the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources (CEMR).

The WVU Student Chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers named Aminian outstanding faculty member five times, and he was CEMRs Teacher of the Year in 1998.

Professor Stanley Cohen, who joined WVUs Department of Psychology in 1972, has taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses. His teaching areas include research design and data analysis, social psychology and professional issues in psychology.

An early adopter of instructional technology, Dr. Cohen created the departments Microlab a decade ago to support word processing and data analysis and has continued to foster an atmosphere of technological development within the department while using technology in his own courses in innovative ways. Cohen has served on many academic computing advisory committees.

He recently chaired a committee looking at alternative means of documenting teaching and learning outcomes.

Cohen received his bachelors degree in psychology from Georgia Institute of Technology and his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anatomy Penprapa Klinkhachorn teaches gross, microscopic and neuroanatomy to medical, dental, physical and occupational therapy and exercise physiology students. She also teaches under-represented and disadvantaged youth in WVUs Health Careers Opportunity Program and the Health Sciences Technology Academy. After receiving her masters degree and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, Dr. Klinkhachorn received a scholarship to

pursue her Ph.D. at WVU . After receiving her degree, she went back to Thailand and later taught at Louisiana State University before returning to WVU as a visiting instructor in late 1980s.

After Klinkhachorn won the School of Medicines Distinguished Basic Medical Science Teacher of the Year Award in 1994, she became an adjunct assistant professor. Her responsibilities lie mainly in teaching and service. She has a special interest in computer-assisted instruction.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor John Kuhlman teaches students to apply basic physical principles to solve practical engineering problems. He integrates examples from his research into undergraduate courses.

Dr. Kuhlman has a consistently outstanding record of student evaluations, and about 80 percent of graduating seniors have ranked him as one of the three best mechanical and aerospace engineering instructors. CEMR and its predecessor, the College of Engineering, have honored Kuhlman eight times from outstanding teaching, and in 1992 he joined the College of Engineering Academy of Outstanding Teachers.

After coming to WVU as a visiting associate professor in 1985, Kuhlman became a professor in 1987. He received his bachelors and masters degrees and Ph.D. in engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Making difficult subjects come alive for students is the special strength of Thomas Myers, associate professor of physics . Dr. Myers has taught a broad mix of courses, including a laboratory course for advanced undergraduates in which he has doubled the number of student/professor contact hours and more than doubled the number of experiments.

Myers, who came to WVU in 1992, promotes undergraduate research and works to make his classes interdisciplinary. He was an Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher semi-finalist in 1995 and 1997.

He received his Bachelor of Science and his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University.

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Hema Siriwardane has won 10 teaching awards in the past eight years at the college and department levels in CEMR . With a primary focus in geotechnical engineering, Dr. Siriwardane has taught 10 different courses and developed six new ones.

Siriwardane continually challenges students to find answers to questions. For example, he has initiated a series of tutorial classes outside of regular class time during which students can discuss difficult problems. These sessions have improved students ability to understand difficult concepts in class.

CEMR has named Siriwardane outstanding teacher in 1997 and 1999. He came to WVU in 1980 after earning his Bachelor of Science at the University of Ceylon, his masters degree at the Asian Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.