These six professors at Miami Dade College recognized as among the best

Six faculty members at Miami Dade College were selected as the 2020 Endowed Teaching Chairs, the college’s highest distinction.

The endowed chairs are as follows:

▪ Professor Jorge Obeso, the W.L. Philbrick and Christine J. Philbrick Mortuary Science Endowed Teaching Chair, North campus;

▪ Professor Theresa Chormanski, the South Florida Educational Credit Union Endowed Teaching Chair in honor of Hubert O. Sibley, Kendall campus;

▪ Professor Kimberly Carter, the Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair, North campus;

▪ Senior Associate Professor Hoa Burrows, the Juan A. Galan Jr. Endowed Teaching Chair in Entrepreneurship, Kendall campus;

▪ Associate Professor Victor Calderin, the Henry E. S. Reeves/Miami Times Endowed Teaching Chair, Hialeah campus;

▪ Assistant Professor Brooke Bovee, the Andrew Blank Endowed Teaching Chair, North campus.

The Endowed Teaching Chair Program was established in 1992. Since then, more than 300 MDC faculty members have been selected. Chairs receive an annual $7,500 for three years to support their search for new teaching methods, developing new projects and enhancing their expertise in technology.

The 2020 Endowed Teaching Chairs were recognized during a virtual event earlier this month.

Guy Harvey Scholarships

The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation recently awarded $5,000 scholarships to Elizabeth Duermit-Moreau, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, and Matthew Schumm, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida State University.

The Guy Harvey Scholarship Award was established in 2010 through a partnership between the Florida Sea Grant and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation to recognize graduate students at Florida universities whose research focuses on the biology, ecology, habitat, or fish management in Florida’s marine environment. To date, 66 students have received more than $300,000 in scholarships.

“As part of GHOF’s ongoing investment in higher education, we are thrilled to continue to support aspiring researchers, marine biologists, and ocean conservationists,” said Guy Harvey in a statement. “Elizabeth and Matthew are among the new generation of researchers that are stewards of the sea. The work they do is significant and will have a lasting impact on marine life.”

Duermit-Moreau is studying fisheries and aquatic sciences. Her research focuses on how habitat degradation and fishing of Florida spiny lobster and stone crab impacts disease and parasites’ prevalence in these species.

Schumm is studying ecology and evolutionary biology, and his research focuses on how the environment and harvesting affects a population’s growth and genetic diversity.

Applications are now available for the 2021 Guy Harvey Scholarship Award. For information, visit www.flseagrant.org/students/scholarships/guyharvey/

Palmer Semi-Finalist in Coca-Cola Scholars

Maia Wenger, a senior at Palmer Trinity School, was recently selected as a semifinalist in the 2020-21 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. She was chosen based on her outstanding leadership, academics and community service.

As a semifinalist, Maia will complete the second round of applications.

“We are exceedingly proud to have Maia representing Palmer Trinity,” said Patrick Roberts, head of school. “She is an exemplary student worthy of this recognition from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2020 at 12:05 PM.