Faculty Member Named 2014 Minnie Stevens Piper Professor

Barbara Sawyer, Ph.D., MLS(ASCP), MB(ASCP), professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Allied Health Sciences’ Department of Diagnostic and Primary Care, was recently selected by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation as a 2014 Piper Professor for superior teaching at the college level.

 Ten awards of $5,000 each are made annually. Selection is made on the basis of nominations submitted by each college or university in Texas.The roster of Piper professors includes outstanding professors from two- and four-year colleges and universities, public and private.

 Participation in the award is by invitation only. To be eligible, candidates must be nominated through a college or university’s president's office.

“The Piper Professor award recognizes select professors who have demonstrated outstanding academic capability, particularly in their dedication to the teaching profession,” said TTUHSC President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D. “Dr. Barbara Sawyer exemplifies teaching excellence and her selection for this prestigious award brings distinction both to herself and our university.”

Sawyer’s research interests include diversity in the clinical laboratory science student population and profession and evidence-based education and educational methods.

“Dr. Sawyer consistently demonstrates a level of professionalism, compassion, and excellence in her classroom instruction,” said TTUHSC School of Allied Health Sciences Dean Robin Satterwhite, Ed.D. “Moreover, she has served as a champion for interdisciplinary education, identifying best practices for teaching across multiple disciplines within the overall health sciences education.  She has proven herself to be a highly successful and effective educator, recognized for her excellence within the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.”

Sawyer earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and biology from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas and a Bachelor of Science in medical technology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She later went on to receive a Doctor of Philosophy in cell biology and neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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