Faculty accolades, May 17

Two Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College faculty members, Yi Zheng and Carlos Casanova, were nominated for 2021 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards. The awards are presented each year by the Arizona State University Faculty Women’s Association.

The awards recognize faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding mentorship to students, other faculty members or both, with particular attention to mentorship of women and others in underrepresented groups. “A mark of a great leader,” says the FWA, “is the support and guidance they provide to others through mentorship.”

Casanova is an assistant professor in the MLFTC Education Studies program. His research interests include social issues and social justice education, and critical education for sustainable development. Since 2005 he has worked with community members and youth of color, particularly Latinx and Chicanx youth, in both nationally affiliated and grassroots community organizations.

When the 2021 FWA Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards were announced this month, Yi Zheng was one of the 14 winners, representing 12 colleges throughout the university. Zheng is an associate professor of mathematics education in MLFTC’s division of educational leadership and innovation, with a concurrent appointment to the School of Mathematical Sciences. Her research focuses on improving the methods and technology of test design, delivery, scoring and analysis.

Zheng’s nominator wrote, “Dr. Zheng approaches mentoring by being caring, willingly vulnerable, helpful and enthusiastic about her mentees’ work. Her kindness and spark has led her students to pursue prestigious internships working to reduce inequity in large testing companies, and large-scale interdisciplinary projects to improve placement exams for ESL students.”