Brian Hand,  a science education professor in the University of Iowa College of Education, was honored with the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service.

Awarded in memory of Professor Michael J. Brody, it is one of the finest recognitions for faculty at the University of Iowa.

An internationally renowned scholar, Hand joined the UI College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning in 2005, after serving as a visiting faculty member in 1997. Prior to this, he worked as a faculty member at Iowa State University from 1998 to 2004.

“Through his exemplary service within the university and across the state, Professor Hand has enabled the University of Iowa to be a national leader within science education,” says Hand’s nominators.

Hand’s professional leadership is exemplary and broad. He serves as the program coordinator for science education and expanded this role to include the math education area as well. He has served on the University Research Ethics Committee, co-chaired key faculty search committees, and served on editorial boards of leading journals including Studies in Science Education and Research in Science Education. Hand has also served on countless tenure and promotion review committees, merit review committees, and more.

In service to the external constituents, Hand has worked with over 400 teachers, who have impacted over 40,000 students across his time at the university.  The students taught or supervised by Hand over his career include many k-12 science teachers around the world and some of the most prominent scholars in the field of science education.

“I can confidently say that I am one of an extremely large number of individuals – current and former graduate students, current and former in-service teachers and most importantly current and former k-12 students – who have had their own learning significantly impacted by Brian’s service efforts,” says Mark McDermott, Associate Dean for Teacher Education and one of Hand’s former students. “I would not be in the position I am in today if it were not for his mentorship and impact on my own educational path.”