Show-Me State Times

University of Missouri President Mun Choi, Matthew Martens, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Steve Sowers, chief executive officer of Commerce Bank’s Missouri community markets, awarded the 2025 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence to Pamela Brown. Brown holds positions as an associate professor in the College of Arts and Science and serves as an adjunct associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine.

The award ceremony took place today, and along with the recognition, Brown received a $15,000 stipend that accompanies the Kemper Fellowship. These fellowships, instituted in 1991 with a $500,000 gift, are awarded annually to five distinguished University of Missouri educators.

David Schulz, director of Mizzou’s Division of Biological Sciences, stated in his nomination that "Pam recognized early in her career the power that bacteria and the relative ease with which they can be manipulated in the laboratory even by novice experimentalists have to revolutionize young scientists’ understanding of the natural world."

Brown has been acknowledged for her role in employing the Missouri Method, a hands-on learning approach, through innovative teaching methods such as Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). Isabella Hall, a former student, praised Brown's influence, saying, "Day after day I watch Dr. Brown go above and beyond in the classroom, in her lab and with her students," highlighting the impact Brown had on her decision to pursue a research career.

Brown contributes to the academic community beyond teaching, acting as the associate director of undergraduate research and experiential learning in the Division of Biological Sciences. She also serves as a faculty fellow for STEM in the Honors College and mentors students at various academic levels.

Her efforts in integrating advanced research with educational practices have gained applause from colleagues and students alike. Amanda Herrera, an assistant teaching professor, commended Brown's capabilities in creating engaging research projects, sharing that "She designed and brought to life a microbiology-based research project that gets students excited about research in the STEM fields."

Brown has garnered several awards for her contributions, including the College of Arts and Science Associate Professor of the Year Award in 2024, the Maxine Christopher Schutz Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2023, and the Mentor of the Year Award from Mizzou’s Office of Undergraduate Research in 2021. Her academic journey includes a bachelor's degree in molecular and cell biology from the University of Connecticut and a doctoral degree in microbiology from the University of Georgia.