Debnath Mookherjee Excellence in Teaching Award
Debnath Mookherjee Excellence in Teaching Award
The Debnath Mookherjee Excellence in Teaching Award is an endowed College of the Environment award established by the former students and colleagues of Professor Mookherjee upon his retirement in 2014 after more than fifty years at Western. The award is given each year to the College of the Environment faculty member who best exemplifies the excellence in teaching demonstrated by Dr. Mookherjee throughout his career. The award includes $1,800 that the awardee may use to support their teaching, research, and outreach programs.
To donate to the fund in Dr. Mookherjee's honor, please visit the Western Foundation's online pledge form.
Nomination Process
Each spring, the dean sends out an email to faculty and staff requesting the following information:
- Name of Faculty Nominee
- Nomination Statement/Letter of Recommendation (approx. 1)
- Send nominations to the College of the Environment Dean at CENV.dean@wwu.edu
Criteria and Procedures for Selection
- All tenure-track and non-tenure track College of the Environment faculty who have taught courses in the college in the past year.
- Nominations may be made by current students, alumni, WWU faculty or staff members.
- A faculty member may receive the award only once.
- Only the names of award recipient will be announced. Names of nominees will not be published.
Excellence in Teaching Award recipients
2026 – Andy Bunn, Environmental Sciences
Dr. Andy Bunn is a professor in the Environmental Sciences Department. The nomination emphasized Dr. Bunn's sustained excellence in instruction, development of dynamic learning tools, innovative curricular design & commitment to student success. Dr. Bunn's teaching influence reaches students from multiple disciplines, including Honors College. Students value his learner-centered approach, including flipped classroom models, experiential learning, peer evaluation and immediate-feedback tools that make learning active & engaging. Dr. Bunn leadership was foundational in building the Data Science for Environmental Applications Certificate, including the design & development of new courses providing skills that student credit with helping them to advance professionally.
2025 Rebekah Paci-Green, Environmental Studies
2024 Tamara Laninga, Urban and Environmental Planning & Policy
2023 Jenise Bauman, College of the Environment - Salish Sea Region
2022 Zander Albertson, Environmental Studies
2021 John McLaughlin, Environmental Sciences
2020 Rebecca Bunn, Environmental Sciences
2019 James Helfield, Environmental Sciences
2018 Eli Loomis, Environmental Sciences
2017 Ruth Sofield, Environmental Sciences