Dr. Michael Jabot

Dr. Michael Jabot, a faculty member at the State University of New York at Fredonia since 2001, was appointed a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees at its Nov. 20 meeting.

A Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Jabot has made outstanding contributions in teaching, research and service. It was noted that Jabot’s caring and engaging classroom environment has fostered valuable relationships and mentorships with students, who consistently report that his passion for science education is infectious. His leadership in helping to integrate science programs into Fredonia’s College of Education is highly regarded by his colleagues. He has worked tirelessly to provide science professional development for the state’s elementary and middle school teachers, work consistently supported by coveted competitive funds from the federal Title II B — Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) program.

In his letter of recommendation, Interim President Dennis L. Hefner noted, “Dr. Jabot always receives high praise for the classes he teaches, but his approach to teaching goes far beyond the classroom, His ability to secure grants has allowed him to involve numerous students in research projects focused on real-life issues. At campus-wide student-research poster sessions, several of his students are always featured. In my interactions with these students, each uniformly describes how Dr. Jabot’s guidance and mentoring has improved their understanding of the discipline. He is well-known for giving generously of his time to assist students with their individual learning.”

Jabot has served on the statewide science steering committee and on the science learning standards development committee, where he played an instrumental role. He is the statewide Director for Professional Development for the Science Teachers Association of New York State as well as serving as a member of the New York State Science Advisory Committee for the New York State Department of Education. Earlier this year, Jabot was named to the National NASA Data Advisory Board. He is a member of NASA’s International Education team, a NASA Earth Ambassador and represents the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states on the US Partner Forum for the NASA/GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) Program.

Jabot’s regional and national contributions to science education are reflected in his research output of over 50 scholarly publications, more than a dozen grants, numerous presentations at professional conferences and awards. He has served on advisory committees, centers, councils, conservancies, foundations, institutes and working groups. In 2009, Jabot received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, and in 2004 Fredonia’s William T. Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award, which was established through the Fredonia College Foundation.

Jabot completed his B.S. Ed. at St. Bonaventure University, a M.S. in Geology at the State University of New York at Cortland and Ph.D. in Science Education at Syracuse University.

The Distinguished Teaching Professorship recognizes and honors mastery of teaching. For this prestigious tribute to be conferred, candidates must have demonstrated consistently superior mastery of teaching, outstanding service to students, and commitment to their ongoing intellectual growth, scholarship and professional growth, and adherence to rigorous academic standards and requirements. Further, a faculty member must have attained and held the rank of full professor for five years, have completed at least three years of full-time teaching on the nominating campus, ten years of full-time teaching in the SUNY system, and must have regularly carried a full-time teaching load as defined by the campus at the undergraduate, graduate or professional level.

Since the program’s inception in 1963, SUNY has appointed 1,161 faculty to the distinguished ranks, as follows, including these most recent appointments: 429 Distinguished Professorships; 329 Distinguished Service Professorships; 395 Distinguished Teaching Professorships; and 8 Distinguished Librarian Professorships. More information about SUNY’s faculty award program is available online at https://www.suny.edu/impact/education/faculty/distinguished-faculty-ranks/