Murphy Award winner: Suzanne Nielsen
April 17, 2014
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Suzanne Nielsen, professor of food science. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) |
Five exceptional teachers have been selected as recipients of the 2014 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards in Memory of Charles B. Murphy. This week, Purdue Today will feature a profile on each of the recipients. This profile focuses on Suzanne Nielsen, professor of food science.
Suzanne Nielsen always knew she wanted to teach, but it wasn't until her freshman year of college that she knew teaching food science would be her calling.
"After taking an introductory food science class as a college freshman, I knew that I wanted to major in this subject area, and that I wanted to teach food science," Nielsen says. "This set me on a path toward a PhD degree in food science, since this subject is generally only taught at the college level."
Nielsen has been teaching food science at Purdue for over 30 years and held the post of department head from 2003 to 2013. She teaches seminar classes as well as a class on food analysis, a course for which she edited the internationally used textbook.
Students in Nielsen's food analysis class complete an individual quality control analysis project, which pairs them with a mentor from the food industry. Nielsen also uses case studies to connect lecture material to the food industry. Her class is known for being rigorous, but she always works hard to treat students fairly.
"I work to make the classroom environment friendly, encouraging, supportive and respectful," Nielsen says.
Nielsen's students appreciate the knowledge she shares and the time she dedicates to helping them learn.
"Dr. Nielsen is one of the friendliest and most helpful professors I know," a student wrote.
"She goes out of her way to hold review sessions and provides us with sample problems to study on our own. I feel she is a great professor, and I learned a lot from her class."
Giving of her time and resources is something Nielsen enjoys because she wants her students to be successful after graduation.
"I like the interaction with students, and helping them learn," she says. "I want to give them knowledge and tools that can help them become successful in their chosen careers."
In addition to the Murphy Award, Nielsen has received several other awards including the William V. Cruess Award from the Institute of Food Technologists for excellence in food science teaching and the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion Award from Purdue. Nielsen is also a 10-time recipient of the Outstanding Teacher in the Department of Food Science Award.
Nielsen says she is honored to receive the Murphy Award.
"Winning this award is very meaningful to me as a person who went into academia with the initial and primary goal of teaching," she says.
Writer: Hannah Harper, harper4@purdue.edu