Marine science professor nets national and campus awards

By Kathy Henry Dowell

Claudia Benitez-Nelson knew she had been nominated for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) Faculty of the Year Award, but she had no idea she was getting the research award until the moment her name was called and she shakily stood up to receive a plaque at the General Faculty meeting in April.

“Talk about being good at keeping secrets!” she laughingly said of her colleagues and the student who nominated her. “They really got me.”

One thing her students and colleagues don’t keep quiet is how engaging and energetic Benitez-Nelson is in the classroom. She also received a Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award during the April meeting.

An assistant professor in the geological sciences and marine science program, Benitez-Nelson has been in her first tenure-track position for just three years. Her background was pure research—a Ph.D. from the MIT/ Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography and a three-year research faculty position at the University of Hawaii—and she had not taught before coming to USC. In addition to conducting research, she now teaches Marine Science 101 to about 100 freshmen every fall.

“When I first began teaching, I took full advantage of the resources at USC, particularly our Center for Science Education,” she said. “I asked them to come in and monitor my class, and I followed their recommendations. I also learn the names of my students and call on them, and they know I’ll call on them.”

Clearly, her methods are very effective, and the students appreciate them.

“Claudia is an inspiration to all women, especially women scientists,” said Jennifer Guard, the marine science major who wrote an articulate letter nominating Benitez-Nelson for the NSCS award and then worked diligently to make the surprise presentation happen. “She is a dedicated mother, professor, and advisor. She is the essence of the three pillars that NSCS stands for: leadership, scholarship, and service.”

Benitez-Nelson is involved in community activities, including Fast Forward ScienceQuest, a middle-school program designed to involve at-risk students. She recently introduced a course that allows USC students to participate in the program for science credit. She also is the advisor for USC’s NSCS chapter.

The NSCS seeks to honor and inspire academic excellence and community service in its members. Begun by USC alumnus Steve Loflin, the national organization has about 375,000 student members and 205 college chapters across the country. It is the nation’s only honor society that invites freshmen and sophomores to join. To be eligible for membership, students must have at least a 3.4 GPA.

Given for the first time this year, the NSCS Faculty of the Year Award provides a $1,000 personal stipend for the recipient and a $5,000 donation to the general scholarship fund of the recipient’s institution. To further honor Benitez-Nelson’s outstanding achievement, President Sorensen added $2,000 more to the scholarship donation. Benitez-Nelson is thrilled by the scholarship funding because it offers her another way to help undergraduates, even if it is indirectly.

“All undergraduates want, for the most part, is someone to pay attention to them,” she said of her advising and mentoring philosophy. “Many of them are alone, away from home for the first time, and they need someone to encourage them in aspects of their academic and personal lives. I find that spending that extra five to 10 minutes with them when they are freshmen really goes a long way toward helping them.

“Since my own undergraduate days, I had planned on having a research-oriented, academic career,” she said. “What I did not expect was to enjoy the teaching and advising aspect. And I love it.”

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