Kyle Hazelwood, is pursuing a Ph.D. in the SD Mines Department of Geology and Geological Engineering.
RAPID CITY, SD (Jan. 23, 2018)
–South Dakota School of
Mines & Technology doctoral candidate Kyle Hazelwood has been selected as the
recipient of the National
Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) Outstanding Teaching
Assistant Award for 2018. This annual award identifies undergraduate
and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate teaching excellence in earth
science education.
Hazelwood,
who is pursuing a Ph.D. in the SD Mines Department of Geology
and Geological Engineering, was a graduate teaching assistant for the five week Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station geology camp
during the summers of 2014, 2015 and 2017.
“Kyle
proved to be an invaluable member of the instructional staff and exceeded the
expectations of not only myself, but those of the other instructors as well,”
says Christopher
Pellowski,
Ph.D., coordinator and instructor at the Black Hills Natural Sciences Field
Station and the Department of Geology & Geological Engineering at Mines.
Pellowski nominated Kyle for his impressive teaching abilities and positive
outlook. “He was comfortable working in the field for each of the weekly
projects and always maintained a positive outlook considering the challenging terrain
and unique daily weather conditions that we experience throughout the Black
Hills region.” Pellowski also stated that Kyle, “worked very well with the
students one-on-one and was able to offer explanations or ask guiding questions
that allowed the students to feel confident in developing their own
interpretations.” Pellowski added that, “Kyle’s ability to positively interact with
the students in the field along with his pleasant personality make him a
consummate professional, and he truly stands out from the other teaching
assistants that I have worked with.”
NAGT
strives to foster improvement in the teaching of the earth sciences by K-12
teachers, university faculty and educators at museums and science centers, to
emphasize the cultural significance of the earth sciences.
NAGT
congratulates Kyle Hazelwood and thanks SD Mines for providing an environment
in which teaching assistants can flourish, follow their interests and develop
expertise in the vital teaching of earth sciences.