(11/19/09)
Dr. Jamie Harris Given an opportunity to move to a research position over a decade ago, Jamie Harris, professor of geology at Millsaps College, realized his true passion is teaching. “It was a lightbulb moment for me,” Harris said, “I didn’t want to leave teaching behind.”
His creative teaching methods and dedication to giving students real research experiences through field based learning is just one of the reasons he is Mississippi’s recipient of the 2009 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s Professor of the Year award. He received the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on November 19, 2009.
As one of the most prestigious awards honoring undergraduate teaching, the Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country—those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. Harris is one of 38 state winners from around the country chosen for the honor.
For Millsaps senior Andrew Fleming, his first geology course with Harris was enough to cement his decision to major, and pursue a career in, geology.
“He truly cares that students learn the material and maintains enthusiasm and encourages us to work even harder when material is difficult,” Fleming said. “He provides ample opportunity for help on assignments and presents the material in a way that is interesting and useful.”
After graduation, Fleming plans to go to graduate school to study geology and hopes to have a future career in energy resource management and environmental geology.
“Dr. Harris is not only a successful teacher in the classroom but has been a visionary in the area of field based learning, developing a number of high-quality field based research and study programs in geology for students both in the U.S. and beyond,” said David Davis, interim vice president and dean of the College.
Harris, who resides in Ridgeland, joined the geology faculty at Millsaps in 1995 and has served as the department chair since 1998. In that role, he has helped redesign the geology major to integrate field based and experiential learning.
Each summer term Harris and other geology professors lead groups of Millsaps students to observe and study the geology of places such as Yellowstone National Park, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Montana, and Mexico. Along the way, they are introduced to field skills such as mapping and interpretation of geologic processes.
“Many of our students have never had an earth science course before coming to college and going into the field to work makes what we’re learning in the classroom ‘click’ in students’ minds,” Harris said. “Coming up with creative ways to teach is what Millsaps is all about and geology is well-suited for field based learning.”
The Millsaps geology program places heavy emphasis on undergraduate research and every student who majors in geology is required to participate in original research. The goal is to get students ready for graduate study and careers in geology—approximately 90 percent of geology majors at Millsaps go on to graduate school in geology or get jobs as geologists after graduation.
Harris’ own expertise is widely recognized—in recent years Harris has travelled to Italy to present a paper on near surface seismic methods and served as a keynote speaker for an international geophysical conference in China.
Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Eastern Kentucky University, a bachelor’s degree in geophysics from the University of Houston, and master’s and doctorate degrees in geology/geophysics from the University of Kentucky. In 2006 he was named Millsaps’ Distinguished Professor, the College’s highest award in recognition of teaching and scholarship.
Harris is the sixth Millsaps professor to receive the state’s Professor of the Year Award. Previous winners are Sarah Lea McGuire (biology), Bob McElvaine (history), Greg Miller (English), George Bey III (anthropology) and Kimberly Burke (accounting).
