Dr. Bryan Poole has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Phil Cook, president of Lee, formally acknowledged this accomplishment at the recent spring commencement ceremony.  
 
“This award means more to me than I can adequately express, because teaching is something I love and pour myself into,” said Poole, professor of psychology and director of Lee’s Center for Teaching Excellence and faculty development. “I’m sustained by my faith in God; by my supportive family and colleagues; and by my students, who I care deeply about and hope to see flourish.” 
 
The Excellence Awards are the highest honors presented to Lee faculty members and recognize advising, scholarship, and teaching. The Excellence in Teaching is the oldest award, and it is considered to be superior among the three. 
 
“Dr. Poole’s selection reflects his commitment to academic excellence, his investment in students, and the thoughtful way he brings his discipline to life through his teaching,” said Cook. “Dr. Poole is both respected by his colleagues and revered by his students.” 
 
Poole, an alumnus of Lee, joined Lee’s faculty in 2013, earning his PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Alabama in 2014.  As a professor of psychology, he teaches courses in basic, advanced, and independent research methods and statistics; emotions; physiological psychology; and learning and cognition. 

Poole also conducts research with his students on various topics, such as emotion, attention, and time perception. Poole is a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, the Southeastern Psychological Association, and the Council for Undergraduate Research. He was awarded Lee’s Excellence in Scholarship award in 2022. 

The winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award is chosen by an anonymous committee of three faculty and three students, each representing a different department at Lee.