Matthew d'Alessio, Ph.D.
Distinguished Teaching, Counseling or Librarianship Award, 2018-19
Northridge
Department of Geological Sciences
There is no such thing as ‘smart' – all students can learn when we create a learning environment where they work together on problems that matter for their lives.
Dr. Matthew d’Alessio has served in the Department of Geological Sciences at CSUN since 2009 and was named the recipient of the CSU Northridge Distinguished Teaching Award. Professor d’Alessio is a ‘teacher of teachers’ that researches how to teach science effectively at the K-12 and university levels. He helped his department redesign its undergraduate curriculum to include a greater focus on science communication and practical problems within the community. He has redesigned or created seven new courses at CSUN using team-based learning, computer simulations, and peer micro-teaching. He was the chief writer of the 2016 California Framework for K-12 Science, a state document that guides teachers, curriculum designers, and test makers for California’s six million public school students.