Dr. Reuben awarded for excellence in teaching

Texas A&M School of Dentistry prides itself on the quality of its faculty. This quality was exemplified earlier this year by Dr. Jayne S. Reuben, who received the 2022 ADEA/Colgate-Palmolive Co. Excellence in Teaching Award.

“It’s really quite surprising and exciting,” she says. “It’s motivating. It’s not why I do it, but it’s nice to be recognized. It helps lift the status of the school as well. It’s not just me; it’s about people seeing some of the wonderful work we do here.”

Reuben is an Instructional Associate Professor in the Biomedical Sciences department and also serves as Director of Instructional Effectiveness in the Office of Academic Affairs. She’s been with the school for a total of 10 years, working here from 2006 to 2011 before leaving for her home state of South Carolina. She was recruited back in 2017.

The Excellence in Teaching Award is given to one person each year. According to the American Dental Education Association, nominees are considered based on various characteristics, including their commitment to the principles of lifelong learning, exemplary mentoring skills and having an identifiable impact on student learning. Reuben is the second School of Dentistry faculty member to receive this award. The first was Dr. Bob Hutchins in 2011.

“Bob was actually quite a mentor of mine when I was here my first go-around,” Reuben says. “When I heard about the award I immediately contacted him via Facebook to let him know I’d won it as well.”

Besides a recognition of hard work, the award comes with a $2,500 cash prize to enhance teaching efforts. She says that she intends to use the funds to assist a graduate student with continuing their studies. She also adds that she hopes winning this award will inspire other faculty and students, especially in the area of educational scholarship.

“One of my goals here is to actually promote more educational research from both the faculty, especially clinical faculty, and also with the students,” she says.