David Hadas Teaching Award

David Hadas, professor of English and Religious Studies. His class “Bible as Literature” was popular with students for many years.

Established in 2008 by Pamela W. Hadas, the David Hadas Teaching Award honors and publicly recognizes an outstanding tenured faculty member in Arts & Sciences who demonstrates commitment and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduate students.

David Hadas spent nearly 40 years at Washington University, and was a renowned professor of both English and Religious Studies in Arts & Sciences until his death in 2004. Known for his warm personality and brilliant mind, he was passionate about teaching, learning, and conversing on all topics. His commitment to teaching was evident: his courses were legendary and his students say he changed their lives. He never gave up teaching, even while battling cancer.

Eligibility and Award Criteria
Tenured faculty are eligible to receive this award. Nominated faculty should have a significant track record over the years of effectively teaching first-year undergraduates. Note: Faculty members who are not teaching a first-year undergraduate course this semester are still eligible for this award.

Nominations/Deadline
Nominations may be submitted by any faculty member of Arts & Sciences. Nomination letters should describe, in 500 words or less, the person’s contribution to undergraduate teaching, citing specific courses/examples. Submit nominations to the Dean’s office via the nomination form.

Award Selection
The award selection will be made by the Dean of Arts & Sciences in consultation with the donor, Pamela W. Hadas. The award will be given at the Arts & Sciences faculty reception at the beginning of the fall semester.

Current Recipient:

2024
Jennifer Smith, Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives, Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences
 

Past Recipients:

2023
Peter Kastor, Samuel K. Eddy Professor, Professor of History and American Culture Studies, Professor of Law (by courtesy), Director of Undergraduate Studies in History

2022
Joe Jez, the Spencer T. Olin Professor in Biology

2021
Andrew Reeves, Professor of Political Science, Associate Chair in Political Science, Research Fellow at the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy

2019
Elizabeth Borgwardt, Associate Professor of History

2018
Jan Duchek, Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences and Occupational Therapy

2017 
Geoff Childs, Professor of Anthropology

2016 
Barbara Kunkel, Professor of Biology

2015 
Brian Carpenter, Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

2014 
John Doris, Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology

2013 
George Pepe, Professor of Classics

2012 
Richard Loomis, Associate Professor of Chemistry

2011 
David Balota, Professor of Psychology and Neurology

2010 
William E. Wallace, Barbara Murphy Bryant Distinguished Professor of Art History

2009 
Tom Bernatowicz, Professor of Physics