A committee of University of Wyoming Student Alumni Association (WyoSAA) members has selected Donal Skinner, Department of Zoology and Physiology associate professor, as this year's Outstanding Faculty Award recipient.
The award recognizes faculty members who are "dedicated to student success and make significant impacts in students' lives."
Skinner says his main area of study focuses on the regulation of reproduction by the brain.
Kelly Baxter of Cheyenne, who is scheduled to graduate this spring, nominated Skinner for the award. Baxter has been one of Skinner's students as well as an undergraduate researcher. She says he taught her first physiology class, "Human Systems Physiology."
"At that time, I was lacking inspiration and optimism of my own potential. Although I loved physiology, I had no idea what I could do with this degree," Baxter says. "To my surprise, these circumstances changed within days of our first exam. Dr. Skinner emailed to congratulate me on my exam score and asked if we could meet."
She continues "Dr. Skinner has motivated me through every aspect of my education at this university, providing guidance, perspective, inspiration and endless opportunities for me to expand my knowledge and gain the most from my education. Thanks to his belief in me, I am now applying to medical school with confidence in who I am and who I can be, something I never thought I would be capable of."
Skinner did his undergraduate studies at Rhodes University in South Africa, and received his doctorate in 1994 from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He joined the zoology and physiology department in 2001 as an assistant professor.
