Professor Colleen E. Bronner Receives the ASEE PSW Outstanding Teaching Award

We want to congratulate Professor Colleen E. Bronner for receiving the PSW Outstanding Teaching Award from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). ASEE is an organization that aims to provide “excellent and broadly accessible education empowering students and engineering professionals to create a better world.” The award focuses on outstanding classroom performance, recognizing teachers of engineering and serves as an incentive to make further significant contributions to teaching. Professor Bronner advocates for equity and access in education; teaches students to be critical, reflective, and empathetic thinkers; and questions norms and structures that serve as barriers to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in higher education. 

Here are a few quotes from faculty and students that speak on Professor Bronner’s work: 

“As Department Chair and faculty, I have had numerous opportunities to observe her teaching, mentoring, and leadership efforts in multiple settings, including the classroom. I have no hesitation in stating that Prof. Bronner is one of the most effective, dedicated, and thoughtful teachers and mentors I have come across anywhere. Her excellence in these areas applies equally as well to her efforts with faculty as it does to students.” -Chris Cappa, Department Chair UCD 

“Professor Bronner has developed a multitude of valuable courses to our department. Out of all, I would like to highlight the impact of “ECI 295 A and B: Engineering Education Design, wherein she is teaching graduate students (TAs and future professors) how to design inclusive and equitable learning environments. Literally every single one of our geotechnical PhD students who have taken this class series have secured academic positions and have been thriving ever since.” -Katerina Ziotopoulou, Associate Professor UCD 

“Her dedication to teaching and passion for her subject matter is remarkable. Professor Bronner shows excellence, access, and advocacy, focusing on diversity and inclusion while proceeding to present quality teaching material.” -Carlos Trejo Vera, Student/Peer-Advisor UCD