Associate Professor of Psychology Siobhan Robinson received The Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching; Assistant Professor of Theatre Emily K. Harrison was honored with The John R. Hatch Excellence in Teaching Award; Assistant Professor of Chemistry Ryan Martinie was presented with The Class of 1963 Excellence in Teaching Award; and Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Yuting Chen is the second recipient of The Margaret Bundy Scott Teaching Excellence Fellowship Award.
“It is a privilege to learn more about what you do every day to support students in our classrooms, laboratories, and studios, and to read how what you do contributes to your disciplines, enhances your teaching, advances knowledge, and adds to the beauty and understanding of the world,” Munemo said.
Award descriptions and a list of previous recipients can be found on the Dean of Faculty website.
Siobhan Robinson
Munemo noted that Robinson received 15 nominations for The Samuel and Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching. “That number alone was impressive; it may be a record. But so, too, was the consistent way students — current and former — described [her],” he said. Established to emphasize the advice to “major in a great teacher,” the Lang Prize recognizes faculty members noted for having a profoundly positive effect on their students.
“Professor Robinson is an all-around amazing professor and person. She is obviously so knowledgeable and passionate about what she teaches; her passion for neuroscience was one of the things that inspired me to switch my major. She is incredibly easy to talk to, helpful, encouraging, positive, and overall wants to see every student succeed.” The nominator said Robinson’s “best qualities are the care she shows her students and her desire to be a pillar of their support system. … if you are looking for a professor to honor with ‘significant and positive impact on students,’ I cannot think of a better person.”
Another nominator noted, “The faith she has in her students instills confidence that can be applied to both coursework and other developments like internships and career opportunities. Professor Robinson goes far beyond what is required of her for everyone she interacts with, and I am so grateful that I chose to ‘major’ in her during my time at Hamilton.”
“Professor Robinson prioritizes challenging students through high-level material alongside the formation of relationships that can last from a single semester to four years,” said another. “I am incredibly grateful to have been one of the many students whose lives have been shaped by [her].”
A fourth-year student called Robinson “undoubtedly the most impactful mentor I’ve had at Hamilton” adding, “She stands out from other professors because she demonstrates a genuine investment in every single one of her students and is committed to helping each of them succeed. It is easy to connect with [her], as her door is always open and her ears are always ready to listen. She uses these connections with her students to individualize her teaching approach and make learning a fun and accessible process.”
In addition to current students, alumni also nominated Robinson. “The impact of a great teacher is felt long after Commencement,” Munemo said. “We received nominations from alumni who are either currently serving as — or preparing to be — a doctor, therapist, researcher or scientist.”
“When I reflect on my transformation at Hamilton into a professional scientist and neuroscience enthusiast, the catalyst was undoubtedly Professor Robinson,” an alumnus wrote. “She transcends the traditional role of an educator; she is a mentor who listens, challenges, and invests her entire being into the success of her students. While her classes are famously rigorous, it is that very intensity that prepares us to excel. I recognized early on that she represented the blueprint for a powerhouse female leader in a male-dominated field, and I knew I had to learn everything I could from her. I spent three years learning, soaking up every droplet of knowledge that she gave me, knowing it does not get better than her. Today, she remains a foundational figure in my life, a mentor turned dear friend.”
Robinson is “truly an incredible professor and mentor,” said a 2022 graduate currently in medical school, applying into neurology. “After talking with many other students in medical school, I truly realized how unique my senior project experience was and how it helped me become a better learner and researcher. [She] treats her students like graduate students, which really prepared me for life beyond Hamilton.” This nominator mentioned “her profound influence on my learning and professional development … I can remember thinking in an Intro Neuro class, I want to learn everything from this person.
“Now, as I care for patients with opioid use disorder, I often think back to her Neurobiology of Addiction class where she integrated the history, humanism, and biology to illuminate the epidemic we face today,” the alumnus wrote. “Hamilton students are incredibly lucky to learn from Dr. Robinson, and I know that she has helped shape a generation of learners who will change the world with the same integrity and care that she demonstrates every day.”
Another nominator said, “She has a unique way of making everyone around her feel heard and feel like an important contributor to whatever the task at hand may be. While her intellect sets an incredible groundwork for her research, I believe it is her connection with each of her students and her unique ability to push people to be their best that allows her research to take on another dimension.”
Ryan Martinie
A student nominator for The Class of 1963 Excellence in Teaching Award winner described Martinie as “an educator who cares very deeply about his students, their experience in his classes and in his lab, and their future success. I have been lucky enough to work with Ryan since June 2024, and the work we have done together has been the single most impactful undertaking of my Hamilton experience.”
Another student who nominated Martinie first met him when she interviewed to do research over the summer. She said she was coming off “an academically challenging and at times discouraging experience” in chemistry and “needed something to rebuild my confidence in myself as a biochemistry major. I had no idea what hitting ‘submit’ on the Summer Research Google Form was going to do for me.
“I was immediately struck by his passion for what he does,” recalled the student. “He brought out that same excitement in me.” She said Martinie’s mentorship gave her a sense of belonging within the department, increased her technical knowledge and skill, and her grades dramatically improved during her sophomore year.
The student said working with Martinie “has nurtured my passion for research and helped me flourish scientifically more than I ever thought I could, and I’ll graduate in May 2027 with at least four research projects. I will always consider Ryan a central figure in the development of my early career. In nominating him for this award, I am hoping to convey that Ryan is one of those professors who changes lives. He changed mine.”
Another nominator met Martinie when he was Chemistry 120 instructor. “I remember after our first exam, when the class hadn’t performed as well as any of us had expected, [he] spent the following class period giving us a motivating pep talk about how grades don’t define a person ... This emphasized his kindness and dedication to his students and for us to take away not only the chemistry content but how to be more well-rounded students who value passion for a subject over achieving their ideal grade.”
A student who was in Martinie’s summer 2025 research group said, “He did an excellent job on emphasizing not only the scientific discoveries that he anticipated us coming across, but also the importance of lab safety and having a fun and memorable experience that summer.”
Emily K. Harrison
In nominating Harrison for The John R. Hatch Excellence in Teaching Award, one student wrote, “Emily’s accomplishments outside of the classroom are impressive for someone who is a full-time theatre-maker, and even more impressive ... that she is teaching full-time.” Harrison runs her own theatre company, Square Product Theatre, in Colorado, and has produced several plays — both at and outside Hamilton.
“Since I’ve begun working with Emily, my idea of what theatre can be and should be has expanded beyond my wildest imagination,” the nominator added. “She stresses the importance of bringing original and important ideas to the table, and pushes her students to push the boundaries of theatremaking, equipping them with all the skills necessary to leave Hamilton with a capability and a motivation to create groundbreaking, inspired theatre. Emily is unflappably kind, intelligent, and mature with students, and goes to bat for them whenever necessary … [she] is an inspiration and a rock to all in the Theatre Department at Hamilton, and is as essential to the Hamilton community as any faculty member.”
A second student wrote, “Before meeting Professor Harrison, I had little to no intention on majoring in theatre, but after taking her classes I began to see the value and impact that performance, as well as practitioners like [her], had on the field.” The student, now a senior, added, “[she] has opened my eyes to the wonders that is pursuing theatre after graduation and has instilled the courage and confidence in me to consider this trajectory as a career.”
A student involved in a Mainstage production that Harrison directed said, “Her work as a director and a creative producer allowed students to cultivate their acting skills as well as their critical analysis abilities, all while being one of the most supportive and inspiring people to work with. [She] has made an incredible impact on my time at Hamilton, and I truly do not know where I’d be without her guidance and expertise. She is an amazing professor and person, and I truly wish every Hamilton student gets the privilege of being in her classes.”
Yuting Chen
The Margaret Bundy Scott Teaching Excellence Fellowship Award recognizes outstanding faculty members in continuing (non-tenure-track, more than half-time) positions who exemplify a deep commitment to student learning, innovative pedagogy, academic excellence, and exhibit the transformative power of teaching.
A student nominator shared their experience in Chen’s class, recalling that midway through the semester, they were struggling with their mental health, which began affecting their performance. “Although I was advised to drop one of my classes — his, as it was the most challenging — I shared with him that I did not want to give up because I was truly interested in the subject. Rather than letting me struggle alone, he took the initiative to meet with me weekly to review the material and help me build my understanding step by step. These meetings made an incredible difference, not only academically, but personally,” the student wrote.
“[Chen] has had a lasting impact on my confidence, my approach to learning, and my overall College experience. … “[and] I know my experience is not unique,” the student continued. “He demonstrates this same level of care and dedication to all of his students, always going above and beyond to ensure that we succeed. For these reasons, I strongly believe he exemplifies teaching excellence. His passion, empathy, and commitment make him truly deserving of this recognition.”
Posted May 12, 2026
