The Committee on Teaching and Scholarship is pleased to announce that the 2020 Scholarship Award winner is Heather Dillon, Shiley School of Engineering. Known as a dedicated and talented researcher among her peers, she has had a prolific record of scholarship in her eight years at the University of Portland. Dillon created her UP research lab from the ground up and developed collaborations with other industry and University partners to pursue work on renewable energy and energy efficiency. One of her colleagues wrote, “Heather has been incredibly successful in including students in her research program and mentoring them in research methods and in applying for summer research positions and for graduate school.” Dillon has mentored over 40 students and this work was recognized by the Provost Award for Faculty Mentors in 2017. She holds elected positions in the Engineering Division of the national Council on Undergraduate Research as councilor and vice-chair.She has authored an impressive number of publications during her career including over 80 peer-reviewed journals, conference papers, and technical reports, as well as giving numerous presentations. She has also been a principal investigator for major grants which have benefited STEM education at UP. She is a co-principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant, “Creating a Culture of Evidence-Based Teaching and Reflection,” which led to the development of observation protocols that are being tested and implemented by UP faculty to improve teaching practice. Most recently this work led to a year as a visiting Fulbright Canada Research Chair in STEM Education at the University of Calgary.
Please join in congratulating Heather Dillon on this latest honor.