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Kern receives outstanding teacher award by Dick Peterson Public Relations College of Graduate Studies Dean, Perry Halushka, M.D., Ph.D., saw an opportunity to give teaching a boost.  So he made the most of it.  Dr. Perry Halushka, right, congratulates Dr. Michael Kern as he receives the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. He launched the college’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award and presented  at a luncheon retreat June 6 the first of what is to become an annual recognition of teaching excellence. His first-year graduate students’ top choice was Michael J. Kern, Ph.D., associate professor of cell biology and anatomy. “This is the first year we could hold an event like this,” Halushka said. “Our common first-year curriculum makes it possible.” Until the completion of this past academic year, each discipline in the college had its own set of students and its own curriculum. But with the first year of the newly established common curriculum completed, it was possible for a significant number of students to evaluate the 70 teachers who taught them and pick the best. Although Kern captured the top spot, Halushka considers the entire field of 10 nominees to be the best of the best in the College of Graduate Studies. He said that during the year the teachers are evaluated through WebCT. The top five of the first semester and top five of the second semester became the 10 nominees who were placed on the ballot to be voted on by the students. “I think Michael was surprised,” Halushka said. “It didn’t seem to register with him at first when his name was called.” The award includes Kern’s name on a plaque outside the College of Graduate Studies offices, a plaque engraved for Kern personally, $250 and a free parking space paid for by the college for one year. Kern came to MUSC seven years ago from the University of Cincinnati. As a student he trained in microbiology-immunology and then moved into developmental biology as a post-doctoral fellow. His focus now is cardiac development. “It’s really tough keeping a balance between research and teaching,” Kern said. “It’s really more critical for me to bring in the money to do research, but teaching is what I enjoy. I really enjoy the interaction with the students, both one-on-one in the lab and getting in front of 20 or 40 of them in class.” Kern also spends some time teaching dental students, for which he has had to learn new facets of developmental medicine, he said. Kern has one word for the first year common curriculum: “Awesome!” He said he knows the students are impressed with the program. It has brought together the common elements of the full array of disciplines in the College of Graduate Studies and gives the students a chance to compare and choose where they wish to direct their graduate careers.  “The award is tangible evidence that what I’ve been doing has been worthwhile,” Kern said. “It represents a group of people who said they got something out of it, and maybe learned a bit more because of the way I did it.” College of Graduate Studies Teacher of the Year Nominees Maurizio Del Poeta, M.D., second place; Lotta Granholm-Bentley, Ph.D., DDS, third place tie; John Hildebrandt, Ph.D., Michael Kern, Ph.D., first place; George Lindenmayer, M.D., Ph.D., third place tie; Joan Olson, Ph.D; Steve Rozenzweig, Ph.D.; Kevin Schey, Ph.D.; Jerry Webb, Ph.D., third place tie; and Cynthia Wright, Ph.D.