David Thaddeus and Oscar Lansen named 2026 Teaching Excellence Award winners

David Thaddeus, professor of architecture, and Oscar Lansen, teaching professor of history, are the 2026 recipients of the UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence.

“David Thaddeus and Oscar Lansen are outstanding examples of the very best of UNC Charlotte’s faculty,” said Jennifer Troyer, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Their innovation, care for students and commitment to academic excellence elevate the student experience and our University.”

Thaddeus is a professor whose passion for teaching defines every aspect of his work at UNC Charlotte. Deeply engaged in the material he teaches, he continually develops new visual and qualitative methods to make structural concepts clear, intuitive and inspiring. His commitment to exploring sustainable materials and construction practices further enriches his integrated approach to architectural education.

Thaddeus designs exercises that require students to actively discover structural principles through three-dimensional problem solving. He incorporates models, building documentation and precedent analysis into courses, helping students engage directly with concepts, deepen understanding and build lasting skills.

“Over the years I have continually explored new ways to incorporate hands-on and visual learning into my courses,” said Thaddeus. “While numbers may prove that a structural system will work, building and testing structural models to failure is critical for the student’s qualitative understanding of structural principles.”

His commitment to innovation is supported by multiple grants that have enabled the creation of a suite of structural teaching tools, including an earthquake “shake table,” a wind tunnel and his extensive TOYS (Teaching by Observation Yields Strength) model library.

“David builds collective knowledge in a personal and non-threatening style, demonstrating care for each individual and conveying kindness and humor as everyday approaches to encourage active and empathetic learning,” said Blaine Brownell, director of UNC Charlotte’s David R. Ravin School of Architecture.

Thaddeus’ influence reaches well beyond UNC Charlotte. Elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2019—an honor earned by only 3 percent of members—he is nationally recognized for advancing architectural education.

Lansen teaches through an apprenticeship‑style, hands‑on approach that turns the history classroom into a collaborative laboratory. Drawing on decades of work in problem‑based learning and source‑driven pedagogy, he models every assignment he asks students to complete, guiding them to build interpretations through visual analysis, real‑time writing and structured discussion. His method cultivates students as active analysts—and often co‑teachers—reflecting his belief that learning happens best by doing.

“My passion for teaching, guided by my European training and expertise in history, history pedagogy and teaching, continues to motivate my research, didactical collaboration and instructional innovation,” Lansen said. “I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity over my career to help shape the lives of others, optimize instruction and programs, lower barriers to learning, instill growth and perseverance, share expertise and skills, model inquiry and promote student well‑being.”

Lansen’s work has transformed history education at UNC Charlotte and beyond. A teaching professor known for his innovative, equity‑driven instruction, he empowers students through dynamic courses on the Holocaust, Nazi Germany and modern conflict, pioneering visual‑spatial analysis, active learning in large lectures and accelerated skill development for first‑year students.

As co‑chair of Commencement and former chair of the Honors Council, College Curriculum Committee and departmental undergraduate studies, Lansen has shaped academic policy, student success and signature university experiences. A founding member of the Charlotte Teacher Institute and the History Freshmen Learning Community, he has expanded access, built community partnerships and helped establish a need‑based study abroad scholarship that opens global learning to more students.

“Oscar is a highly original and innovative instructor,” said Amanda Pipkin, chair of the Department of History. “From visual analysis to experiential learning to team teaching and learning, he has set new standards for innovative teaching practices in a field long dominated by lecture courses.”

Thaddeus and Lansen were honored Thursday, Sept. 24, in the Popp Martin Student Union, along with teaching excellence award finalists Erin Basinger, professor and chair of communication studies; Hilary Dack, professor of middle, secondary, and K‑12 education; Sayde Brais, teaching professor of communication studies; and Steven Kanczewski, lecturer in the Turner School of Accountancy.

In addition to the award winners and finalists, faculty members, Drew Polly, professor of reading and elementary education; Debra C. Smith, associate professor of Africana studies; Michael J. Turner, associate professor of kinesiology; Jeanne‑Marie “Ree” Linker, senior lecturer in mathematics and statistics; and Regina Vrikkis, teaching associate professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science, were recognized as honorable mention finalists.