UT System recognizes UTSA faculty for exceptional teaching and mentorship

MAY 19, 2025 — UTSA faculty members Jennifer Dilley and David Han have been selected as fellows in The University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Established in 2012, the Academy recognizes faculty from across the UT System for teaching excellence, for outstanding leadership and mentorship, and for promoting student success.

Approximately 50 of the UT System’s top educators are current fellows in the esteemed organization. Each fellow is also a recipient of the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, the UT System’s highest teaching honor. Academy fellows serve as an advisory group for UT System leaders and advocate for continuous improvement and innovation in the classroom. They share instructional best practices and enrich the student learning experience across all UT System academic institutions.

“Professor Dilley and Dr. Han exemplify the excellence, innovation and dedication that define UTSA’s teaching community,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Their recognition by the UT System underscores UTSA’s commitment to exceptional teaching that supports academic achievement and prepares students to thrive in their careers and communities. With six UTSA faculty now part of this prestigious group, we are proud to contribute to shaping the future of higher education across Texas and advancing student success through outstanding teaching and mentorship.”

“Professor Dilley and Dr. Han exemplify the excellence, innovation and dedication that define UTSA’s teaching community.”

Jennifer Dilley

Dilley is a professor of instruction in the UTSA Department of History. Since joining UTSA in 2008, she has consistently worked to enhance student learning and has designed hands-on experiential courses. She has also offered unique study away opportunities in places like New York, and she has redesigned core history courses to improve student outcomes.

Her overarching mission is to create a classroom environment that is effective, engaging and welcoming for all students.

“The guiding principle in my teaching is community building. Teaching and learning are social activities, and so one of my primary goals each semester is to make sure students feel as though they belong in my classroom,” Dilley said. “My goals as an educator are to continue using my platform to advocate for students, engage young people in our democracy and to grow humanities education.”

Dilley’s passion for history education extends into the local community. She serves as director for the UTSA Knowledge for Freedom Program, a free summer residential learning experience for rising seniors in the San Antonio Independent School District. The program gives high school students an opportunity to live on campus and explore history and American democracy while learning the value of civic leadership alongside current UTSA students.

As an executive committee member of the UTSA Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars (ADTS), Dilley supports fellow faculty by fostering a culture of exceptional teaching and offering a wide range of professional development opportunities. An advocate for fixed-term track (FTT) faculty, she has created an affinity group for these instructors and established guidelines for FTT faculty titles and promotion, which helps retain top teaching talent at UTSA.

David Han

Han is a Romo Endowed Professor in the UTSA Honors College and an associate professor in the Department of Management Science and Statistics. With over 16 years of teaching experience at UTSA, he is recognized for his interdisciplinary expertise in statistics, data science, business, engineering and health as well as his transformative approach to teaching and faculty development.

A pioneer in the integration of emerging technologies, Han has introduced AI, data science and experiential learning in the classroom. His teaching philosophy centers on innovation and student-focused engagement, and his courses equip students with technical skills and real-world problem-solving abilities through hands-on projects, AI-enhanced instruction and interdisciplinary collaboration.

“As an educator, I am driven by a passion for fostering intellectual curiosity, problem-solving skills and data literacy that extend beyond the classroom,” Han said. “I am enthusiastic about contributing to the advancement of teaching practices and promoting interdisciplinary perspectives across the UT System institutions, ensuring our students are well-equipped for the challenges of tomorrow.”

Outside the classroom, Han is a dedicated mentor to both students and faculty through initiatives such as the UTSA First-Gen Scholars program and the Student Experience Project.

He is a leader in faculty development and instructional innovation, serving as co-chair of the Strategies for Teaching, Assessment and Retention (STAR) Award program, where he has supported numerous faculty-led pedagogical projects across UTSA. He will also help coordinate faculty development efforts across colleges and disciplines as a UTSA ADTS executive committee member.

Han founded and chairs the UTSA ADTS Generative AI for Teaching and Learning Committee, which offers ethical and practical guidance for AI integration in instruction. The committee is developing AI literacy and impact studies, curating instructional resources and contributing to UT System-wide conversations on educational technology.

Dilley and Han will join fellow UTSA faculty already making an impact in the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers. This includes current Academy President Jill Fleuriet from the Honors College and the College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Hector Aguilar from the Honors College and the College of Sciences, who was recently elected to assume the role of president following Fleuriet’s two-year term. Other Academy fellows from UTSA include Gina Amatangelo and Mary McNaughton-Cassill, both from the College for Health, Community and Policy.

— Chloe Johnson