USC PPHS Teaching Recognitions & Awards

The Center also leads the USC PPHS Teaching Recognition & Awards program is a cornerstone of the department’s strategy to advance organizational change through teaching excellence. Developed in collaboration with the Vice Chair of Education, Prof. Roberta McKean-Cowdin, and other faculty leaders, the program affirms that rigorous, inclusive, and innovative pedagogy is central to the department’s mission and to the success of its students.

By recognizing faculty across multiple dimensions of teaching—equity in pedagogy, innovation in digital learning, architectural design of scalable education systems, and the rapid development of emerging educators—the initiative creates incentives that elevate teaching to the level of scholarly and institutional priority. This recognition is not symbolic; it is designed to reshape culture, reward intellectual and pedagogical labor, and embed expectations for inclusive and cutting-edge teaching across the unit.

For students, the impact is direct: a strengthened learning ecosystem that delivers world-class education and ensures equitable outcomes across diverse populations. For faculty, the awards provide professional recognition and institutional validation of their contributions, linking individual achievement to collective advancement of the department’s educational mission.

To learn more about the criteria—or if you are interested in launching a similar initiative at your institution and would like to consult—please reach out to Center Director Dr. Ans Irfan.