UNC Charlotte Named Teaching Excellence Award Winners

The university honored two faculty members for their contributions to student learning at a ceremony in Charlotte.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Awards

Bold vector editorial illustration of a drafting compass and academic books, representing pedagogical excellence at a university. — UNC Charlotte awarded its 2026 Teaching Excellence honors to faculty members Oscar Lansen and David Thaddeus during a ceremony at the university. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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UNC Charlotte presented its 2026 Teaching Excellence Awards to Oscar Lansen and David Thaddeus. The honors were bestowed during the 59th annual awards ceremony held at the Popp Martin Student Union.

Why it matters

The university hosts these annual awards to recognize exceptional faculty members for their teaching and to support the institution's ongoing mission to educate students.

A total of 245 faculty members were nominated for the 2026 honors, which were narrowed down to six finalists. The tenured faculty award was established in 1968, while the teaching-focused faculty award originated in 2019.

The players

Oscar Lansen

He is a faculty member at UNC Charlotte who received the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award for teaching-focused faculty.

David Thaddeus

He is a tenured faculty member at UNC Charlotte who has been teaching at the university since 1999.

UNC Charlotte

This is a public research university located in Charlotte that hosts annual awards to celebrate faculty achievements.

The details

Oscar Lansen was recognized in the teaching-focused faculty category, while David Thaddeus received the honor for tenured faculty. Winners were chosen based on their approaches to pedagogy, which include hands-on collaborative learning and structural engineering design methods.

The tenured faculty award was established in 1968.
David Thaddeus has taught at UNC Charlotte since 1999.
The teaching-focused faculty award was established in 2019.
The awards ceremony took place on September 24, 2026.

Culture Shift

The 2026 ceremony marks a continuation of the institutional tradition of recognizing excellence in pedagogy that has evolved significantly since 1968. These awards reflect a shift in higher education toward prioritizing both traditional tenure-track research and teaching-focused roles.

Students at UNC Charlotte may see the influence of these pedagogical approaches in their courses as these professors continue to implement their recognized teaching methods. The awards highlight the faculty members who shape the daily educational experience for those attending the university.

The takeaway

Recognizing faculty for their teaching contributions highlights the value universities place on student engagement alongside academic research. Educators can look to these winners' methods, such as collaborative learning, as effective models for modern classroom environments.