Banner Named Cherry Award Finalist

March 22, 2023

Jackson School of Geosciences Professor Jay Banner has been named a finalist for Baylor University’s 2024 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching.

Banner, who is also director of the Environmental Science Institute, is one of three finalists for the prestigious teaching award. Each finalist receives $15,000, as well as $10,000 for their home departments to foster the development of teaching skills. The finalists will present a series of lectures at Baylor during fall 2023 and a Cherry Award lecture on their home campuses.

The winning professor will be announced by Baylor in spring 2024 and be honored with $250,000 and an additional $25,000 for his or her home department in addition to teaching in residence at Baylor during fall 2024 or spring 2025.

“The Cherry Award reflects a long-standing commitment to outstanding teaching at Baylor University. The faculty members named as finalists are scholars who have made significant, lasting impact on students,” said Kevin Dougherty, Ph.D., committee chair and professor of sociology at Baylor University.  “They are pedagogical innovators whose reach extends far beyond their home universities. We look forward to hosting the finalists on campus at Baylor University in fall 2023.”

Banner said he was surprised by then honor.

“Wow, this is crazy,” he said. “The Cherry Award is special, and it’s humbling to be considered for it. I’m happy that there are things out there like the Cherry Award to celebrate teaching, including the teaching of science”

The Cherry Award program is designed to honor great teachers, stimulate discussion in the academy about the value of teaching and encourage departments and institutions to value their own great teachers. Individuals nominated for the award have proven records as extraordinary teachers with positive, inspiring and long-lasting effects on students, along with records of distinguished scholarship.

See Baylor University’s news release.