UH Hilo Faculty Members Recognized for Teaching Excellence

Three faculty members of the University of Hawai`i at Hilo were honored for their teaching excellence during UH Hilo’s 2015 spring commencement ceremony on May 16.

Dr. Norman Q. Arancon, associate professor of horticulture, was awarded with the Board of Regents’ Excellence in Teaching Award.  Arancon is leading the effort on campus to develop sustainable gardens while applying sustainable methods and sharing them.  He is an expert in vermiculture and vermicompost, and has authored and co-written several books as well as numerous articles in international scientific journals.

Physics and astronomy instructor Dr. Norman Purves received the Francis Davis Award.  He was nominated for his countless hours of work helping students and pushing them to do their best.  Students say Purves motivates them to do more to succeed and has led them to participate in leading experiments earning them recognition in the scientific community.

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Lecturer or Instructor was given to Colby McNaughton, an education instructor.  McNaughton is described as an individual who works “tirelessly to create a multi-strategy, hands-on, comprehensive interdisciplinary course to bolster student content knowledge as well as introduce prospective teachers to relevant simulations and real-world scenarios.” Her classes are said to engage students with a mix of questions, guided discussions, and group activities with an approach that is both rigorous and transforming.