Teaching Award
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2011 DISTINGUISHED FACULTY |
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Dr. Chris Dula, Associate Professor of Psychology, is the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching. In the nomination documents supporting Dula for the award, Dr. Wallace Dixon, chair of Psychology, characterized Dr. Dula’s teaching style “as far outside the box in that he teaches in a performance mode that attracts students like a magnet, often recruiting them as psychology majors.” Dr. Dixon also commented on his “overwhelming supportiveness and commitment to undergraduate mentorship” in his Applied Psychology Laboratory and that he invites students of any competence level to participate, providing them “a learning opportunity they cannot gain in any other context.”
Since joining the ETSU faculty, Dr. Dula has served as a member or chair of seven undergraduate honors thesis committees, and has held those same roles on more than 25 graduate student committees. During his career, he has presented at approximately 226 conventions, research forums, and meetings. Dr. Gordon Anderson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, noted in his nomination letter that student comments describe Dula as “outstanding, colorful, funny, engaging, motivational, approachable and, of course, awesome.” Anderson added that this feedback documents “a rare talent for teaching and connecting with students at all levels.” A former student who is now completing her doctoral studies said he “encourages independent thinking and pursuit of individual interests and goals, all while fostering a sense of community and teamwork among his research students.” In fall 2010, ETSU students voted Dr. Dula as the inaugural recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Student Choice Award, presented during the Centennial Opening Celebration. He currently holds the Heyward Memorial Faculty Excellence Award presented by the ETSU Department of Psychology to an “outstanding department member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, research or service.” His scholarly work has appeared in a number of peer-reviewed journals and includes several papers on the issue of aggressive and emotional driving.
Dr. Dula received his B.S. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, followed by an M.A. in clinical psychology from Appalachian State University. In 2003, he was awarded his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, and spent one year as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Memphis. His professional memberships include the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, Association for Behavioral Analysis, Tennessee Psychological Association, Virginia Psychological Association, and the Intermountain Psychological Association.
