UF College of Veterinary Medicine Teacher of the Year

Kevin Anderson, Ph.D., an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology in the department of physiological sciences, has been named the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine’s 2010 College Council Teacher of the Year.

The council annually selects an outstanding teacher to receive the designation, based on criteria including knowledge of subject matter, clarity of presentation, concern for students’ mastery of subject, fairness, enthusiasm for teaching and overall interest in student welfare. The winner receives $2,000 and a plaque.

Anderson received his undergraduate degree and master’s degree from Washington State University. He received his Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1984.

This is the second time Anderson has been honored with the college council’s Teacher of the Year Award, the first being in 1990. A member of the UF veterinary faculty since 1988, Anderson has taught anatomy to every single class since then. UF veterinary students have chosen him several times to receive their top teaching awards, given by individual classes and also by the student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In 1994, the college awarded Anderson its prestigious C.E. Cornelius Young Investigator Award for his research.

His most recent research focus relates to the biomarkers of traumatic brain injury. This work has received funding from the Veteran’s Administration and other sources.

Anderson also has served for many years as faculty adviser and ride team leader to Team Vet Med, a group of cyclists that ride regularly throughout the year and who also raise money for student scholarships. In recognition of Anderson’s commitment to the group, the scholarship funded by the annual Horse Farm Hundred ride was renamed in his honor last year.

“My philosophy of teaching is really quite simple,” Anderson said. “I think the best teachers are the ones who provide the necessary guidance so the students can learn the materials on their own, with minimal input from the instructor.”

He added that he preferred to think he could facilitate the learning process by challenging students, rather than merely lecturing them or providing a list of anatomical facts.

“This can be accomplished several ways, but one of the simplest and most effective is just to ask the students questions rather than directly give them the answers,” Anderson said. “It can sometimes be a new experience for students to learn this way, but I feel that they will retain the relevant and important answers more readily than rote memorization. More importantly, I think that learning in this way helps to foster the ability of students to learn where to find an appropriate answer to a challenging question.”