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Two Faculty Receive University’s Highest Awards
Convocation honors more than 150 for national, international achievements
Two dedicated scientist-educators received President’s Scholar Awards Oct. 6 at the Faculty Honors Convocation of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
UT Health Science Center President James T. Willerson,
M.D., center, presented President's Scholar Awards to Barry
R. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., and Catherine M. Flaitz, D.D.S., at
the Faculty Honors Convocation.
Photo by Ground Zero Photojournalism
Health Science Center President James T. Willerson, M.D., presented the institution’s highest faculty award for teaching to Catherine M. Flaitz, D.D.S., dean and professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology at the UT Dental Branch at Houston, and for research to Barry R. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Division of Biostatistics and director of the Coordinating Center for Clinical Trials at the UT School of Public Health at Houston.
“These are two dedicated, committed scientist-educators who have persevered and who have dedicated their own lives to doing something special,” Willerson said. “It is my hope that commitment will be characteristic of the students, the staff and the faculty of the health science center.”
Excellence in Teaching
Flaitz expressed her appreciation in being recognized for what she enjoys most – “when there is this blending of vocation and avocation that becomes a harmonious blur.”
“It is a distinct privilege to be the recipient of this highest teaching award,” she said, “and to mold the minds, hearts and hands of future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists.”
While acknowledging that she was “preaching to the choir,” Flaitz offered some tips for excellence in teaching:
- Try not to be boring.
- Speak to the audience as individuals.
- Try and engage “the guys in the back row.”
- Keep your material updated and fresh.
- Tell a story to illustrate a challenging concept.
- Keep a sense of humor.
- Set high expectations but be generously flexible, respectful and kind.
- Disseminate what you know widely in both written and oral venues.
- Be a mentor.
Excellence in Research
Davis directed the landmark ALLHAT study, which demonstrated that diuretics - less expensive than newer medications - are the drug of choice in initial treatment of hypertension. "It's been a true privilege for me to participate in ALLHAT - a study that has made a difference in people's lives," he said.
"One of the investigators in ALLHAT likened this project to the Apollo project of landing a man on the moon," he said. "ALLHAT, like Apollo, was big in terms of money - it was a $104 million trial; big in terms of people - there were 800 plus investigators and 42,000 plus patients; big in its reach - there were 600 plus clinical centers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; and long in time to completion - about nine years; and, like Apollo, the headquarters for the project was located in Houston."
Seeking balance in his life, Davis recently took up an interest in marathon running. "It has reaffirmed for me that hard work pays off, that there can be unexpected success in life and that, in the end, running, like all life, is about taking chances," he said.
National and
International Honors
More than 150 faculty members were recognized for national and international honors in research, teaching, clinical service and community service during the ceremony in the Edwin Hornberger Conference Center of the Texas Medical Center.
Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., executive vice chancellor for health affairs of the UT System, congratulated all the awardees. "Celebrating the accomplishments of faculty is a particularly important function," he said. "What you do - what the recognitions here are about - are how to improve minds, how to improve knowledge, how to improve health."
Representing the UT Health Science Center Development Board, Chair Brad Howell said the university has "a truly outstanding board of community leaders, who give of their time, their talent and their resources to support the work that you do here. We are all honored today with your achievements, and as I go back, I am even more enthusiastic to continue the work of the board to increase the level of community awareness for what you do and for your missions in teaching, research and service."
By Ina Fried, Public Affairs