Faculty Excellence Awards

Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching

Emily Davidson, Associate Professor of Hispanic and Latino Studies

The Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching recognizes a member of our faculty who embodies a commitment to excellence in their ability to communicate knowledge and inspire students. This year, the award is presented to Dr. Emily Davidson, Associate Professor of Hispanic and Latino Studies.

A colleague wrote “Dr. Davidson represents the best of PLU in her efforts to foster an environment of care, inclusion, thoughtful inquiry, and a love of learning. In particular, her work with first-generation and Latinx students, including heritage speakers of Spanish, demonstrates an above-and-beyond approach that has improved student experience and confidence and strong retention amongst this fast-growing student population.”

Dr. Davidson’s Spanish for Heritage Speakers course yields an outstanding 100% retention rate among first-year Latino/a/x students. Her commitment to affirming and legitimizing students’ Spanish language abilities is evident, as she provides them with the tools to expand their linguistic repertoires.

A colleague described Emily’s teaching as transcending conventional boundaries. They wrote that “her courses destabilize fixed notions of identity and prompt students to critically examine history and culture. The transformative impact of her teaching is palpable, as students emerge empowered and equipped with a critical perspective that challenges oppressive dynamics and amplifies marginalized voices.”

Emily’s dedication to fostering a supportive community is evident in the words of her students. One student noted, “In our class for heritage speakers, she told us over and over again that even if our Spanish is not ‘academic,’ or we have a different vocabulary, or a different accent, our Spanish is still legitimate and powerful. She helps us feel empowered and reclaim our heritage.” Another noted that Dr. Davidson’s “radical self-acceptance fostered a fiery passion for learning more about ourselves and our cultural backgrounds.”

Dr. Emily Davidson’s teaching philosophy, coupled with phenomenal quantitative data and heartfelt testimonials, makes her a truly deserving recipient of this award. Her impact on the Hispanic studies curriculum and the lives of her students sets a remarkable standard for teaching excellence at Pacific Lutheran University.

We offer our congratulations to Dr. Emily Davidson.

The Faculty Excellence Award in Service

Heather Mathews, Associate Professor and Chair of the Communication, Media and Design Arts Program

The Faculty Excellence Award in Service recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates academic leadership and who influences the life of the university through service in areas of faculty governance, the university, and the community beyond the university. This year we honor Dr. Heather Mathews, Associate Professor and Chair of the Communication, Media and Design Arts program.

As department chair, Heather demonstrates unwavering professionalism, care, and dedication, ensuring that the department’s affairs were managed effectively week after week. A colleague described her as “a gifted servant leader, able to see the larger picture, while ensuring that the details are managed effectively, regardless of what is thrown at her.” Another colleague described her as “the glue that has kept the department moving forward successfully.”

Beyond the department, Heather has served on the Global Education Committee, Faculty Affairs Committee, Long-Range Planning Committee, the Human Participants Review Board, General Education Council, IHON Steering Committee, Women’s and Gender Studies Execuitve Committee, and Holocaust and Genocide Studies steering committee. She is the coordinator of the University Gallery & PLU Permanent Art Collection, overseer of annual Studio Art, Design, & Media Artistic Achievement Awards, manager of equipment, supplies, and repairs for all art and design studio area courses.

Heather’s service extends beyond PLU, where her role as co-coordinator of Visual Culture for the German Studies Association highlights her commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. She leads with inclusivity and democratic practice.

Dr. Heather Mathews’ extraordinary service, characterized by transparency, inclusivity, and a genuine commitment to making people feel valued, sets her apart as a deserving recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Service. As a colleague noted, Heather “is invested in this place, in making it better, and in making people feel like they matter.”

For her record of service to the university and our community, we honor and thank Dr. Heather Mathews.

Faculty Excellence Award in Mentoring

Wendy Shore, Professor Psychology

The Faculty Excellence Award in Mentoring was established by a gift from the late Tom Carlson, Professor of Biology, and honors Professor Emeritus of Biology Art Gee who excelled as a mentor to colleagues and students in his many years of service on the faculty. This award recognizes the efforts of a faculty member who serves as a personal or professional guide to students or colleagues and who makes a profound difference in the lives of others as a role model, confidant, critic or co-learner. This year we honor Dr. Wendy Shore, Professor of Psychology.

Dr. Shore’s mentoring philosophy is exemplified through the profound connections she forms with her students. As a colleague shared, Dr. Shore initiates mentoring relationships with grace and care, seamlessly blending encouragement with constructive feedback. In her nomination packet, colleagues and former students shared examples of Dr. Shore’s unwavering support and of the invaluable guidance she provided during pivotal life moments, with the recurrent theme being her genuine concern for individual growth.

Former students described how they continue to trust Dr. Shore with questions about both professional and personal lives–a testament to the enduring nature of the relationships she cultivates. From instilling confidence in a high school senior considering PLU to guiding student researchers and mentoring faculty and staff on campus, Dr. Shore’s impact is immeasurable. 

For her excellent mentorship of students during their time at PLU and beyond, and for mentorship of faculty and staff colleagues, we offer our congratulations to Dr. Wendy Shore.

The K.T. Tang Faculty Excellence Award in Research

The K.T. Tang Faculty Excellence Award in Research is made possible by an endowment established by Wilfred Chan, a 1974 alumnus of PLU, in honor of his former professor, K.T. Tang, Professor Emeritus of Physics. The award recognizes up to two faculty scholars who have made significant contributions to their disciplines through dissemination of research findings related to the discovery, integration, or application of knowledge. This year, we honor two of our colleagues with this award.

Dr. Gina Gillie, Professor of Music

Dr. Gina Gillie has demonstrated unparalleled contributions to the world of music composition. She has been commissioned an impressive 22 times since 2012 to write music for chamber ensembles and brass orchestras, including her groundbreaking composition “Octave 9: Pale Blue Dot” which was commissioned by the Seattle Symphony for their $6.7 million-dollar performance space. Inspired by the prose of Carl Sagan, audio from the Voyager Golden Records, and the imagery of the James Webb Space Telescope, the piece combines stunning visuals of the universe and natural world with pre-recorded and digitally produced sounds along with a live solo horn performance. She also received acclaim for her composition “Mountain Ascent,” which was awarded first place at the International Women’s Brass Conference Competition in 2022.

With an international reputation and a string of commissions from prestigious ensembles and musicians, Dr. Gina Gillie’s substantial, relevant, and influential work has not only elevated her status as a composer but has also contributed significantly to establishing Pacific Lutheran University as a hub for creative and original music. A colleague wrote that “Gina Gillie has quickly become one of the best known and most played composers of chamber ensemble works in our day. She is sought out for commissioned works, and the demand for both her new and established works grows continually.”

Another colleague described her as a “double threat” as both performer and composer, and described her compositional style as accessible yet challenging. She has become an important voice, particularly for, but certainly not limited to, brass instruments.

For her accomplishments and contributions to her discipline, we recognize Dr. Gina Gillie.

Bret Underwood, Associate Professor of Physics

Dr. Underwood’s scholarship stands at the forefront of theoretical physics, seamlessly navigating the intersections of Einstein’s general relativity, cosmology, high-energy physics, string theory, and loop quantum gravity. His outstanding achievements are not only reflected in his 28 refereed publications since 2006 but also in the recognition earned through three invitations to serve as a keynote speaker at major conferences and workshops.

Bret’s exceptional problem-solving skills, coupled with his humble and patient approach, have not only substantially modified our understanding of early Universe dynamics but have also garnered him an international reputation. The nomination packet for Dr. Underwood included letters from PLU colleagues and research scientists around the world offering their enthusiastic support. One colleague observed that Brett has “made advances in cosmology research that are worthy of an R-1 university”. Another colleague elaborated on the significance of one recent paper, where Bret took steps to unify two very distinct physical frameworks. As the colleague wrote, “Bret is working to answer one of the most important unsolved questions in fundamental physics, namely: how can gravity accommodate modifications to the Standard Model of particle physics?”

For his excellence in research, we honor Dr. Bret Underwood.