Associate Professor of Chemistry Daniel Jones is among the five finalists for one of the University’s highest honors – the 2016 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence.
He joins the other award finalists Anita Blanchard, associate professor of psychology and organization science; Matthew Davies, professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science; Jae Emerling, associate professor of art and art history; and Janos Gergely, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. The 2016 recipient will be named on Friday, Sept. 9.
In a 43-year career at UNC Charlotte, Jones has taught more than 5,000 students. Throughout these years, his teaching philosophy has been student-centered and holistic. While Jones sees it as his responsibility to assist in a student’s intellectual growth and academic success, he also acknowledges that teaching in the classroom is inseparable from his own learning and personal growth.
“It is especially important that I learn from my students, something which I do nearly every day,” Jones said.
Jones encourages student collaboration and engagement by creating an active learning classroom environment; he also is committed to involving students in research. According to Jones, the way he and his department colleagues conduct research is teaching.
Jones’ research involves the determination of molecular structures by X-ray crystallographic methods. He involves both graduate and undergraduate students in every aspect of this research, including data collection, data analysis, structure determination and manuscript preparation. In fact, since obtaining his research equipment in the 1980s, all but one of his scholarly publications have had one or more of his students as coauthors.
Known as “Diet Coke Man” to his students, Jones receives strong praise from students in the introductory chemistry courses, especially from those students who might not have taken chemistry previously or who are deathly afraid of chemistry.
Bernadette Donovan-Merkert, professor and chair of the Chemistry Department, said, “Dan has an approachable, calm demeanor that puts students at ease. He is patient with the students and makes chemistry relevant to their interests.”
Her comments are echoed by students. Freshman pre-nursing major Jillian Teeter stated, “As a freshman taking a chemistry course, I was worried about not adjusting well and struggling. Professor Jones has made my transition into college courses very smooth. He teaches with passion and cares genuinely about his students learning the material, not just passing the course.”
By focusing holistically on the intellectual development of his students, Jones hopes they develop the “lifelong process of thinking critically and asking and answering important ethical and moral questions.” For Jones, the best embodiment of this process is UNC Charlotte’s University Honors Program. One of his most-lasting contributions to UNC Charlotte is his role in establishing an honors program. In 1982, Jones co-wrote a proposal for a university-wide Interdisciplinary Honors Program, which became active during the 1983-84 academic year. Jones sees his long-standing involvement in honors education at UNC Charlotte as “one of the most important if not the most important” aspect of his academic career.
Jones recalls that in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” the Oxford clerk said that “gladly would he learn and gladly teach.”
“I can think of no greater accolade,” said Jones, “and I would be both honored and humbled if I were to be found worthy of this description.”
