Sean Schoville awarded 2026 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award

Dr. Sean Schoville, Professor and Department Chair, was among 13 faculty members from across campus chosen for this prestigious award. Congratulations Sean! For more than 70 years, the Distinguished Teaching Awards have honored exemplary achievements in teaching and recognized some of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s finest educators.

“Each year, our Distinguished Teaching Award winners exemplify creativity, dedication and care, and make our classrooms into communities of discovery,” says Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin. “These 13 faculty members not only have tremendous expertise in their fields, but also inspire curiosity, critical thinking and a lifelong commitment to learning that will serve our students for years to come. I am thankful for their commitment to our university and am pleased to congratulate them on this tremendous honor.”

On the first day of “Insects and Human Culture,” Sean Schoville hands students a living organism — the Manduca sexta — and asks them to observe it. By semester’s end, students who simply needed a science credit have raised an insect from egg to adult and learned what it means to think, work and communicate like a scientist, and how to interact with the world around them.

Schoville’s teaching emphasizes this sort of hands-on inquiry and learner-centered design. Even his large-enrollment courses blend observation, group discussion and creative assignments to connect biological science to daily life, the environment and society at large. He does this through a wide range of topics that touch on everything from insect anatomy to pest management in agriculture.

Schoville is also known for his mentorship of both undergraduate and graduate students, creating opportunities for students to discover their own pathways into science. Many students credit his courses with changing how they see science and their place within it.

“Dr. Schoville has successfully developed very engaging teaching practices that excite students during each class, help them dive into science, and become self-motivated. His teachings emphasize how biological science connects to our personal lives, society, and the environment around us.”  — Professor Christelle Guédot

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Adapted from “Meet the 2026 Distinguished Teaching Award Winners,” written by Erin Celello.