Robert Siegle

Robert Siegle (English) is honored today for his teaching that is global in reach, technologically savvy, and humane in nature. In a department of strong teachers, Bob sets himself apart by exhibiting both excellence in the classroom and dedication to program-wide curricular innovation. Teaching a wide range of courses, Siegle consistently receives superlative evaluations from students. Appreciation of his innovative approaches by students and colleagues led to his selection by the English Department to lead the revision of the entire composition program twice. Another example of his innovation is exemplified in his development of a course in Postcolonial Cultural Studies, which was enriched by his Fulbrights to Sri Lanka and India. This course led him to develop The Asia Connection, a multi-media website funded by Virginia Tech's Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the University Office of International Programs, the Center for Innovative Learning, and the College of Arts and Sciences. More recently, Siegle's interest in contemporary literature, film, architecture, and music led him to produce a series of new courses in Contemporary Culture. Today, Siegle will discuss the difficulties of connecting research and teaching and how the two can be synergized within environments of deliberate design in his presentation titled, Theory for Beginners.