Lauria and Thomas to receive School’s mentoring and teaching awards at Commencement

Drs. Jim Thomas (left) and Don Lauria will receive awards at Commencement.

The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health will present two of its most prestigious faculty awards during the School’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, 2009. Donald T. Lauria, PhD, professor of environmental sciences and engineering, will receive the Larsh Award for outstanding mentoring of public health students. James C. Thomas, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology, will receive the McGavran Award for excellence in teaching.

The Larsh Award

Established in 1997 and conferred every other year, the highly competitive John E. Larsh Jr. Award for Mentorship honors Larsh, a faculty member in the School’s Department of Health Behavior and Health Education from 1942 to 1981. The award is presented to a current member of the School’s faculty who best exemplifies the commitment to students for which Larsh was well known.

Dr. Don Lauria

Don Lauria joined the School’s faculty as an instructor in 1965 and became an assistant professor in 1971. Although he officially “retired” from his full-time professorship in 2000, his associates say he doesn’t know the meaning of the word.

Current and former students and colleagues of Lauria’s wrote glowing nominations in tribute to their mentor. From the UNC department of environmental sciences and engineering, to the offices of the World Bank, and from as far away as Quito, Ecuador, nominators praised his energy, dedication and high standards.

Ryan Kingsbury, a doctoral student in environmental sciences and engineering and this year’s president of UNC’s Daniel Okun chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), works closely with Lauria in both capacities.

“As a faculty adviser to EWB, Don has gone ‘above and beyond’ in every sense of the word,” Kingsbury says. “He insists on high standards of technical expertise and professional conduct, and he teaches these through example. He treats students as adult professionals and expects them to assert themselves and defend their ideas…. This generosity of time and talent is what makes him an outstanding mentor.”

“Passion,” says Philip C. Singer, PhD, Okun Distinguished Professor of environmental sciences and engineering (ESE), a colleague of Lauria’s for more than 35 years. “Passion is what Don Lauria is all about. He cares greatly about students – not just the ones he advises, but all students he comes in contact with, in ESE and in other departments. His passion is best reflected by the attention he has given to the EWB, working tirelessly to develop projects for students in Ecuador, Peru and Moldova, among other places.”

Alfredo Cueva, PhD, a doctoral student advised by Lauria from 1994 to 1999, is now program director for Environmentally Sound Management of Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes in Ecuador.

“As his student,” Cueva says, “I experienced firsthand Professor Lauria’s superior working standards and outstanding moral character as a strong role model for students, particularly those of us involved in community water supply and sanitation, international development affairs and environmental sustainability. Through the years, I have witnessed his great charisma and rapport with people of all cultures and ages. His ability to connect with students, colleagues, professionals and politicians and his talent for teaching the simplest concept or most advanced topic are truly exceptional.”

The McGavran Award

The McGavran Award for Excellence in Teaching honors Edward G. McGavran, MD, MPH, dean of the UNC School of Public Health from 1947 to 1963 and proponent of “hands-on” field training for public health students. The award recognizes career-long excellence in teaching by a faculty member in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Dr. Jim Thomas

After receiving a Master of Public Health and doctorate in epidemiology from The University of California at Los Angeles, Jim Thomas joined the School’s faculty in 1989. Since 2001, he has served as director of the School’s Program in Public Health Ethics.

Zhiwen Liu, a doctoral student and Thomas’ former teaching assistant, calls Thomas a “transformative” teacher.

“He can lead students through basic concepts of epidemiology to complex thinking at their own ability, and thus students walked away from the course with not only more knowledge, but also new perspectives,” Liu says. “He was always able to get students up by asking and answering questions, and encouraging students to volunteer for demos and active discussions.”

Hollie Pavlica, DrPH, clinical assistant professor in the Public Health Leadership Program, knows Thomas’ work from a global health ethics course he teaches. “Dr. Thomas chose to deviate from a standard voice-over powerpoint presentation [for this distance learning course] and instead has included numerous captivating photographs, many from his travels and research,” Pavlica says in her nomination. “Recently, it was suggested to the Leadership Distance Education team that this be a ‘best practice’ for new lectures.”

Pavlica attended Thomas’ residential lectures and says she saw firsthand how engaged his students are. “I wholeheartedly believe that teaching skills at this level should be recognized and rewarded,” she says.

“Wow!” Thomas said, upon being informed about the award. “I am very honored. Of the titles in my life, the ones that mean the most to me are husband, dad and teacher. This award resonates deep in my soul.”