Northeastern University professor Daniel Aldrich learned how to teach from the best — his father, Howard Aldrich, a longtime professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill who studied the art of teaching.
So, when Aldrich won an University Excellence in Teaching Award this month, it was no surprise that his father was one of the first people Aldrich told.
“It is a tremendous joy to have my dad — a professor for 66 years — as a mentor and a coach,” said Aldrich, professor of political science and public policy, director of the Resilience Studies program and co-director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern. “Anything I know about teaching and am doing right in the classroom comes from his influence.”
Northeastern’s University Excellence in Teaching Awards recognize educators every year who demonstrate deep expertise in their field, provide rigorous content in their courses and inspire their students.
This year’s honors were awarded to Aldrich and Lorna Hayward, an associate professor of physical therapy, human movement and rehabilitation sciences.
“Thanks to professor Hayward’s mentorship, I have grown into a confident leader, researcher and advocate,” Avery Melam, an undergraduate student in health sciences, said in a nomination letter. “Her unwavering support and commitment to student success exemplify the highest standards of teaching excellence. … I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this award, as her impact is evident not only in her students but also in the broader community.”
Hayward focuses on creating and examining the impact of innovative educational models on student learning both inside and outside the classroom, and she is a proponent of experiential and service learning.
For instance, she created and has led a service-learning project in Ecuador that has brought 240 students over 17 years to provide pro-bono physical therapy services to orphaned children with disabilities. She has also created an adaptive sports program for children with autism and other physical and mental disabilities in Greater Boston, partnering the children with Northeastern physical therapy, and Wellesley High School, student “buddies.”
Aldrich’s earliest research focused on Japanese energy politics, especially its use of nuclear power.
But after losing his home, car and possessions in Hurricane Katrina, Aldrich has expanded to studying the resilience of societies to shocks and disasters. He leads a Dialogue of Civilization trip to Japan where students visit sites of nuclear warfare and natural and environmental disasters, and he regularly collaborates with students on projects delineating how our networks influence the recovery process.
Aldrich credits his father’s advice that “students don’t learn from listening,” with giving him success in the classroom.
“I want students to become active agents in their education, rather than passive recipients,” Aldrich says.
It matches well with Northeastern’s emphasis on experiential learning in the real world.
“Northeastern is always pushing boundaries,” Aldrich says. “We can try unusual things, and that willingness to do so makes me very excited to get up and come to work every day.”
Aldrich said he was excited about the teaching award. David Madigan, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Debra Franko, senior vice provost for academic affairs, surprised Aldrich with his award during a meeting last week.
“The chance to be told that the university thinks what I’m doing is helpful is a tremendous joy,” Aldrich said.