Since 1964, Cal Poly Humboldt has celebrated exceptional faculty through the Distinguished Faculty Awards—a competitive, peer-nominated process. Nominations are reviewed by the University Senate’s Faculty Awards Committee, which recommends recipients to the Senate. Final approval and conferral of the awards are made by the university’s President.
Excellence in Teaching Award, Tenure Line Faculty: Young Sub Kwon, Professor of Kinesiology
Kinesiology Professor Young Sub Kwon has made exceptional contributions to teaching and learning at Cal Poly Humboldt. He has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to student success, innovative pedagogy, and the advancement of inclusive and engaging education.
Kwon offers supportive instruction, helping students gain confidence in the course material. His teaching philosophy focuses on research-driven, practical learning, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge effectively. By incorporating hands-on experiences and real-life demonstrations, including videos with his students, he connects complex scientific concepts to practical applications. Students value his ability to make challenging principles more understandable and relevant to their future careers.
Students have praised his ability to create dynamic and interactive classroom environments that embody inclusivity and engagement. He facilitates an active learning environment where students take on diverse roles, conduct experiments, and analyze data collaboratively.
His commitment to continuous professional development has further enhanced his teaching. He has integrated cutting-edge pedagogical approaches that support equitable and student-centered learning. By incorporating culturally responsive teaching methods, he ensures that all students, regardless of background, feel included and empowered in their educational journey. A pioneer in educational technology, Kwon has successfully secured and implemented multiple grants from the CSU to develop groundbreaking virtual reality tools for Exercise Physiology labs, allowing students to engage in immersive learning experiences that deepen their understanding of complex concepts.
A colleague noted: “Dr. Kwon is an established leader in the discipline of Kinesiology, especially in the area of virtual reality curriculum development and delivery. In my experience, Dr. Kwon has demonstrated recognition as a leader in the field and a contributor to the development of new knowledge.”
Scholar of the Year Award: Daniela Mineva, Professor of Music
Music Professor Daniela Mineva is an exceptional scholar and performing artist whose achievements span performances, discography, radio broadcasts, and professional presentations.
An internationally renowned pianist, she maintains an extraordinary performance schedule of 35–40 concerts annually across five continents and regularly collaborates with Grammy-winning composers. Prior to arriving at Cal Poly Humboldt in 2009, she had been invited to lecture at the Eastman School of Music and has been on the faculty at Concordia University, Chicago, and perform at major institutions such as the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow, as well as numerous festival performances at prestigious venues such as the Tanglewood Music Festival. Mineva has regularly played in concerts in some of the major concert halls in Asia, like the National Performing Arts Center in Beijing, and Thailand Art Center. She has given master classes in over 18 music schools and conservatories in China, like Shenyang, Beijing, China, Shanghai, Dalian, Wu Han Conservatories, Renmin University, among the name of few. In addition to winning several awards, reviews of Mineva’s work appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, among others.
Mineva continues to be in high demand. She is regularly invited to collaborate with acclaimed composers, including several Grammy-award winners. Following the success of their recently released album “French Violin and Piano Sonatas,” Mineva and Bin Huang of the China Conservatory of Music are contracted for another forthcoming album. In the coming months, Mineva will be performing with the Naptown Philharmonic at the Schwules Museum and the Bulgarian Cultural Center for French Music in Paris. She has also given dozens of master classes at universities, academies, and conservatories throughout the world and is regularly asked to serve as an adjudicator at major national and international piano competitions.
In addition to her remarkable national and international achievements, Mineva also shares her work with the local community. For example, she recently performed at the Morris Graves Museum and gave a special performance for Cal Poly Humboldt Presents, and regularly collaborates with Music faculty too. She also remains committed to supporting students. According to one student, “Dr. Mineva is able to provide world-class instruction to us…because she herself has deeply studied and performed the music she teaches.”
Outstanding Service Award: Dale Oliver, Professor of Mathematics
Math Professor Dale Oliver has served at Cal Poly Humboldt since 1991. He strives to create a student-centered, equitable learning environment. He has focused on improving the mathematical preparation of teachers and, through collaboration with teachers, on improving mathematical learning at all levels. His campus, community, and professional service have been in support of students, faculty, staff, and others in an inclusive community grounded in mutual respect and united in service to the common good.
From 1992 through 2018, Oliver was involved in projects that either directly provided in-service education for K-16 teachers or focused on developing curriculum and related support programs for preparing pre-service teachers. This work was funded by 14 different multi-year grant programs over his career, usually by prestigious organizations such as the Department of Education, the California Department of Education, or the National Science Foundation.
In addition to the grant-supported work, Oliver has devoted time, energy, and expertise in mathematics education to local, state, and national organizations and institutions. For example, he served as an external reviewer for Mathematics programs at Sacramento State, CSU East Bay and CSU Monterey Bay, as a regular proposal reviewer for STEM-Education grants at the National Science Foundation since 2002, as an advisory panel member for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC), as a member for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics on the Mathematics Teacher Preparation Task Force, and for nearly two decades in various state and national leadership roles for organizations such as the Mathematical Association of America and the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. For the 2022-23 academic year, he served as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Oliver has also served in multiple leadership positions at Cal Poly Humboldt, including as chair of the Integrated Curriculum Committee, Campus ombudsperson, Chair of four different academic departments, and associate dean and dean of the College of Natural Resources & Sciences. More recently, he has provided essential leadership in the development of curricula and hiring new faculty for the new Polytechnic programs in Data Science and Software Engineering.
According to a colleague, “Dale has a remarkable ability to create a focused, comfortable working environment for everyone around him. He leads with integrity and compassion, ensuring all voices are heard and respected.”