Dr. Chadene Tremaglio receives USJ's 2023 SASBE Excellence in Teaching Award.

The Award is given annually to a USJ educator in the School of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education

by Stacey Dresner

West Hartford, CT (11/17/2023) — Dr. Chadene Tremaglio Ph.D., assistant professor in the Biology Department, received the 2023 SASBE Excellence in Teaching Award.

USJ President Rhona Free and Dr. Raouf N. Boules, Dean of the School of Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education presented Dr. Tremaglio with the award on Nov. 13.

The Excellence in Teaching Award was created in 2019 and is now given annually to a USJ educator in the School of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education who demonstrates accomplishments in such areas as course development and pedagogy, leadership in teaching innovation, transformation, and content delivery that are particularly responsive to the diverse learning needs of students or leadership in creating an inclusive and engaging teaching experience.

Dr. Tremaglio has taught at USJ since 2018, first as an adjunct professor and since August 2020 as assistant professor. She received her B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology from UConn, and her Ph.D. from the Boston University School of Medicine where she worked on elucidating the mechanism of transcription initiation by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) RNA-dependent RNA polymeras. She was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ Harvard Medical School studying the biology of a putative tumor suppressor protein in high grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

At USJ, she teaches Introduction to Cellular Biology, Scientific Writing, Introduction to Biological Research, Current Topics in Biology (Honors), Microbiology, and Advanced Cellular Biology.

"Dr. Tremaglio's teaching philosophy is built on a foundation of caring and compassion towards students and their experiences and in fostering a culture of inclusivity in the classroom," said Dr. Boules, "From the first day of class, she strives to make it clear to her students that she believes in their ability to succeed. Her classroom space is a model for belonging and relationship building.

"She is particularly sensitive to the unique challenges faced by first-generation students and students from underrepresented groups and always employs strategies that aim at leveling the playing field for them," Dr. Boules continued. "In her introductory classes, she creates and distributes a "welcome packet" that distills all the advice she shares with students who seek her out individually for help and have those available for all students."

Several student testimonials were included in the letters nominating Dr. Tremaglio for the teaching award. Said one student, "She has an amazing way of taking difficult concepts and simplifying them for her students. She does this by using art, metaphors, humor, and real-life examples. She is able to efficiently communicate the key points in the course material without it being too overwhelming. I have come to understand the subject of biology in a way I never thought I could."

"I'm honored to be recognized with the SASBE Excellence in Teaching Award," said Dr. Tremaglio. "I appreciate the many opportunities USJ has given me to grow as an educator and to try new things in the classroom, and I am grateful to my colleagues for all of their support. But most of all, I am grateful for my wonderful students for letting me be a part of their journey. "

Dr. Tremaglio lives with her family in Farmington, Conn.

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