2022 Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Award
The Range Science Education Council (RSEC) and the Society for Range Management (SRM) proudly present the 2022 Early Career Teaching Award to Dr. Matthew Madsen, Associate Professor in the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences at Brigham Young University. The Early Career Teaching Award recognizes individuals in the early stages of their careers who demonstrate excellence in teaching, advising, and mentoring undergraduate students.
Dr. Madsen is described by colleagues as an exemplary teacher and an excellent undergraduate student mentor who has “…quickly evolved to be one of the most effective teachers at BYU and in the profession”. Students regularly identify him as their favorite professor and praise his efforts to incorporate innovative approaches to hands-on learning into the courses he teaches. One of the many examples of his innovative, hands-on approach to teaching is the prescribed fire lab that Dr. Madsen developed. A colleague described this by saying “students are given safety training and then dressed up in fire retardant clothing to execute a prescribed burn under the tutelage of the fire department”. These are far more than just field trips! Dr. Madsen’s teaching philosophy is built upon his dedication to effectively combine course lectures with engaging, hands-on learning activities.
Students respond to Dr. Madsen’s teaching and mentoring with tremendous appreciation. The following student quotes consistently highlight the high levels of respect and commitment that guide Dr. Madsen’s teaching.
“He makes you feel like you are the greatest student he has ever had…I can’t say how much I appreciated feeling like I mattered and him placing so much confidence in me.”
“I will forever be grateful for the resource management concepts I have learned from Dr. Madsen and even more importantly, I’ll always be grateful for how he treated me and how he taught me the importance and power in building others up”
“Dr. Madsen has been involved in the SRM program for many years. As our coach he is invested in facilitating learning while having fun. His attitude about SRM is contagious.”
“He not only leads by example, by being one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen, he also encourages students to be involved in the work and form leadership qualities…”
In addition to Dr. Madsen’s impressive teaching record, he has served as a student club adviser, coach of the BYU Undergraduate Range Management Exam Team, and maintains an impressive level of involvement in professional societies. Colleagues point out that Dr. Madsen is “a very productive young scientist” who is “highly effective as a research mentor for undergraduate and graduate students” and has “a stellar record in publications, grants and patents”. Impressively, they also describe him as “an educator that exemplifies high standards of scholarship, teaching and citizenship”; “a team player that contributes in effective ways and is highly respected by students, faculty and staff”.
Thus, for his outstanding contributions in the classroom and beyond, the Range Science Education Council and Society for Range Management are proud to recognize Dr. Madsen with the 2022 Early Career Teaching Award.
Range Science Education Council 