LEAPS Distinguished Educator Award for Excellence in Teaching
Scott Riley, PhD (School of Pharmacy, Instructor, Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Distinguished Educator Award for Excellence in Teaching awards Scott Riley, PhD (School of Pharmacy)
The Distinguished Educator Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes outstanding teaching done by our faculty and the sustained positive influence of their teaching on students and advisees/mentees. Great teachers go above and beyond to inspire students and instill learning skills that ultimately prepare the student for a lifetime of learning.
Dr. Scott Riley was chosen for his ability to embrace education with a focus on student engagement and facilitating meaningful student-faculty dialogue. He has been a crucial part in building our new Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences into the successful program it has become today, recruiting around 50 students/yr. (up from 4/yr). He hit the ground running to fill the unique instructor and program coordinator role. He made immediate and significant improvements in the PSC MS didactic courses, and through effective communication, he helped bridge the gap between the Baltimore and Shady Grove campuses. Additionally, he enhanced student participation and engagement by encouraging questions and feedback and then addressing concerns directly with the professors.
“Dr. Riley's innovative approach to education is perhaps the most evident in his Technical Writing class, a course he designed as a requirement for first-year Ph.D. students. Unlike traditional lectures, he integrates discussions where students engage and inquire actively, significantly enhancing their learning experience. This method has been beneficial, leading to a deeper comprehension of academic writing. Moreover, his curriculum includes reading assignments on composition style, writing behavior, and revision processes, aiming to improve our writing and critical analysis skills. The course is structured to encourage students to review and critique each other's work, further enriching our learning experience.” [Former Student]
He has since developed a second technical writing course, a pharmaceutical sciences-focused data analytics and coding course, and a summer education program for incoming students. All his courses are focused on providing content in an accessible way and assessing performance on multiple levels of learning.