Accomplished and respected faculty members, who strive to engage students in collaborative discovery through unique programs and projects, drive the academic, artistic and research programs, and continue to draw national and international attention. Recognized for their leadership and service in both the arts and higher education, Herberger College faculty members continue to distinguish themselves, the college and ASU as creative innovators.

Recognizing and rewarding excellence

In Fall 2000, professor of theatre Roger Bedard earned the distinction of being the college's first faculty member appointed to an endowed professorship, an opportunity made possible through a multi-million dollar gift by Evelyn Smith and her family. An endowed professorship is one of the highest honors a university may bestow on a faculty member. The award recognizes Bedard, a faculty member since 1990, for his outstanding leadership of the Department of Theatre's Theatre for Youth program, which is considered among the top three such programs in the nation, and his significant achievements in research and service within the discipline. Bedard is also director of Artswork: The Kax Herberger Center for Children and the Arts, an interdisciplinary center for research and programming related to children and the arts.

Earning honors, bringing distinction

World-renowned ceramist Kurt Weiser, a professor in the School of Art since 1989, received the highest faculty honor given by Arizona State University when he was named a Regents' Professor in 2000-2001. The award is bestowed on tenured ASU faculty members whose exceptional achievements have brought ASU national or international distinction. Regents professorships are limited to 10% of the faculty. Weiser is best known professionally for brilliantly colored, finely painted ceramic art works that merge Asian technique with Western imagery and style. His works can be found in major museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art and Institute of Ceramics (Shigaraki, Japan) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London). Within the School of Art, Weiser is known for his dedication to his students, many of whom have gone on to find their own success, receiving international awards and teaching contracts at major universities. Weiser is the third Regents' Professor in the college. The others are David Hickman and Caio Pagano, both professors of music.

Energizing the learning environment

Gary W. Hill, a professor in the School of Music, introduced students of conducting and conducting instruction to a revolutionary, technology-based method for enhancing their skills as performers and teachers. The Digital Conducting Laboratory, founded by Hill in Fall 2000, is the first such lab in the nation and has the potential to revolutionize the way beginning conducting is taught. With its unique technology, the Digital Conducting Feedback System, the laboratory has the capability to simulate many of the behaviors of a live ensemble rehearsal setting. The system's unobtrusive sensor interface and and interactive program recreate several fundamental ensemble-conductor interactions and react to the tempo, articulation, and dynamic line generated by the conductor. In addition to providing immediate aural feedback, the system enables conductors to review their performances via sound files, video playback and analysis of muscle-tension profiles.