News

Pulliam Honored with Prestigious Crisafulli Award

Chemistry Professor Deemed "Approachable" by Students

Written By Rocco Suppa '11, PR Intern

Nominated by colleagues and students for excellence in teaching

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Contact

cleogrande@utica.edu

Utica, NY (05/16/2012)

- Dr. Curtis Pulliam, associate professor of chemistry, received the Dr. Virgil Crisafulli Distinguished Teaching Award May 13 at Utica College’s 63rd undergraduate commencement ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the Utica Memorial Auditorium and Judith Kirkpatrick, provost and vice president of academic affairs, presented the award that is considered to be the finest tribute to a faculty member.

“This year’s recipient is praised as an educator by students both past and present,” said Kirkpatrick. “He is described as the most approachable professor students have had and one who works with them in and out of class.”

The Crisafulli Award was instituted in 1974 and was named in honor of Dr. Virgil “Cris” Crisafulli, a founding faculty member of Utica College. Colleagues and students nominate faculty members to receive the award and a selection committee makes its final choice based on demonstrated teaching excellence over a period of at least five years. A total of 38 faculty members have received the award, which is presented each year at the undergraduate commencement ceremony.

Pulliam earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry with a minor in analytical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has been a professor at the college since 1987 and his research interests include environmental analysis of soils and plant materials, and the synthesis, physical characterization, and structural analysis of new inorganic and organometallic transition metal cluster compounds. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, including the Division of Chemical Education and Division of Inorganic Chemistry, and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

About Utica College – Utica College, founded in 1946, is a comprehensive private institution offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The College, located in upstate central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls over 3,700 students in 37 undergraduate majors, 27 minors, 22 master’s and two doctoral degree programs.

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