Madeline Adamczeski of San Jose City College is the 2011 winner of the Teacher-Scholar Award of the Santa Clara Valley Section, American Chemical Society. Recipients of SCV’s Community College Award are honored both for their excellent teaching and for a commitment to their students that goes well beyond the classroom. Dr. Adamczeski has been awarded numerous grants in systemic education initiatives from the National Science Foundation and has forged beneficial collaborations with other academics. She has sparked her students’ interest in conducting research and participating in conferences and seminars. Dr. Madeline Adamczeski of San José City College is thrilled and honored to receive this year’s Teacher-Scholar Award on November 17, 2011. Recipients of Santa Clara Valley ACS Community College Award are recognized both for their excellence in teaching and for a commitment to their students that goes well beyond the classroom. Dr. Adamczeski earned her Ph.D. in 1989 at the University of California at Santa Cruz in organic chemistry, working in Dr. Phillip Crews’ Marine Natural Products lab. Following graduation, she worked in industry as a senior scientist and technical consultant in natural products/drug discovery and software development companies before entering academia. She began her full time academic career in 1994 at American University in Washington DC (1994-1998) and in 1999 was hired at San José City College. She co-authored grant proposals, and was awarded numerous grants in systemic education initiatives from California State Partnership for Excellence and National Science Foundation programs. Dr. Adamczeski has been active in directing the Peer Led Team Learning Program since 1994. San José City College is identified as a Hispanic Serving Institution where its ethnically and socioeconomically diverse community is a source of great pride. Currently and over the past recent years, Dr. Adamczeski has collaborated on other student-centered grants including UCSC’s-ACCESS National Institutes of Health and SJCC’s US Department of Education Title V:HSI grants. She and her colleagues are both strong proponents and create opportunities for student participation in undergraduate research and student leadership activities and pride themselves on students’ success. She and her colleagues have sparked their students’ interest in conducting research and encourage them to participate in local and national conferences, where they present their work, learn more, become enthusiastic about chemistry and network with professionals and students in the field. It is through the work described in these grants that provides students with opportunities to engage in research, teaching. Conference participation is, in part, responsible for student successes in deepening understanding of chemistry, procuring scholarships, internships and more. Dr. Adamczeski’s work has been recognized by the Teaching and Learning Center and Chancellor’s Office of the San José-Evergreen Community College District for her “Outstanding Contribution in her Work with Colleagues” in 2001; the Community College League of California and earned the 2002 award in “Celebrating the Way California Learns”; and was awarded the 2004-2005 “Outstanding Club Advisor” by San José Community College associated students. Please join the SCVACS in congratulating Dr. Adamczeski on being the 2011 recipient of the Teacher-Scholar Award.
Silicon Valley Chemist, newsletter of the Santa Clara Valley Section, American Chemical Society, November 2011, Volume 33 No. 1. Related links: http://sjcctimes.com/news/american-chemical-society-honors-professor/