MACON – Mercer University's Dr. Pam Estes Brewer, associate professor of technical communication, has been chosen as a recipient of the Society for Technical Communication's Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2014.
The award will be presented at the annual Society for Technical Communication Summit, which will be held May 18-21 in Phoenix, Ariz.
“Dr. Brewer joined Mercer Engineering just last year and is already making a significant impact on our programs. We are proud to celebrate this award that recognizes her skills and dedication to teaching,” said Dr. Wade Shaw, dean of the School of Engineering.
Dr. Brewer was chosen “for her joyous and unequaled capacity to bring scholarship, professionalism and the challenges of global communication into the classroom,” according to a citation from the Jay R. Gould Award Committee.
“Mercer is fortunate to have Dr. Pam Brewer as a faculty member. Her reputation for teaching excellence is well deserved,” said Dr. Helen Grady, professor and chair of the Department of Technical Communication.
“She is gifted at engaging students through innovative teaching methods. Her enthusiasm for and knowledge of technical communication are evident to her students and her colleagues. She is a most deserving recipient of this prestigious award.”
Dr. Brewer joined the University's faculty in the fall of 2013. Her primary research interest involves global virtual team communication, and she uses virtual teams in her teaching. She is currently under contract with Wiley/IEEE Press for a book on global virtual teaming.
Dr. Brewer is an Associate Fellow in the Society for Technical Communication, and serves as Academic Special Interest Group (SIG) Manager for that organization, as well. She also serves on the board of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication and on the permanent editorial staffs of the academic journals IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication and Technical Communication.
The Jay R. Gould Award is named for the late professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, who was a pioneer in the academic discipline of technical communication. The award honors his distinguished career as an example of long-term commitment, innovation and excellence in teaching.
Recipients display true academic mentorship; a record of successful students, defined as those who are involved in the Society for Technical Communication, and actively working in the profession; involvement in student activities outside of the classroom; innovation and creativity in teaching; and involvement in research that leads to changes in the way technical communication is taught.
“This award, above all in technical communication, means the most to me. My ability to be effective in the classroom is the core of my professional life,” said Dr. Brewer.
About the School of Engineering
Mercer University's School of Engineering, founded in 1985, offers innovative and academically challenging programs that provide students with a comprehensive education, featuring a solid foundation in mathematics and sciences, a core engineering curriculum, a range of courses in engineering specialties and a strong emphasis on communication technologies. The School is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top three master's-degree-level engineering schools in the Southeast. Known for its breadth of instruction in its undergraduate program and its five-year joint bachelor's and master's degree program, the School combines technical education with hands-on laboratory experience. Mercer engineers can look forward to joining fellow alumni in companies such as Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Lockhead Martin, Georgia Power, Siemens and Gulfstream Aerospace.
