Broward College Honors 2020-21 Professors of Year

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (April 27, 2021)—In recognition of their invaluable work in the classroom and support of student success, Broward College announced ten faculty as 2020-21 Professors of the Year. Nominated by their peers and students and reviewed by a selection committee from each campus, the awardees are full-time and adjunct professors who work across the College’s locations and online. The Professor of the Year award is one way the College honors its faculty's dedication, innovation, and creativity.

"This year, perhaps, more than any other year, speaks volumes to the care and commitment of our faculty, who have demonstrated tremendous flexibility to bring education through various modalities," said Dr. Jeffrey Nasse, interim provost and senior vice president, Academic Affairs. "Each of them has displayed resiliency and courage during unprecedented uncertainly to ensure our students finished the semester with the progress they anticipated. I congratulate these colleagues for their hard work and teaching excellence.”

The 2020-2021 Professor of the Year awardees are:

Dr. Idelisa Ayala was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, with a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota. She has been a faculty member in the Biological Science Department for the past 18 years.

Professor Jennifer Solley has been a member of the English Department for the past 11 years, where she has taught courses in Composition and Literature, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), and Teacher Education. She has a master’s in Reading Education from Florida Atlantic University and completed postgraduate work in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) Education and Creative Writing. Before joining Broward College, she was a special education teacher and curriculum specialist in Broward County for seven years.

Dr. Jodie Weinstein has taught Psychology courses in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department since 2009.  This former high school teacher earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Tulane University, a master's degree in Education, and a Ph.D. in Counseling from Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Weinstein also serves as director of student services for the College Academy and recently joined the Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning as a part-time faculty coordinator.

Dr. Kimberly Barron has been an educator for more than 20 years and an adjunct faculty member of the Broward College English Department for ten years. She has a bachelor's degree in English Education from Edinboro University, a master's degree in Multicultural Literature from Florida Atlantic University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

NORTH CAMPUS

Dr. David Perdian joined the faculty at Broward College, in 2010, after completing a post-doctoral research position at the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2015, he was named the Dr. Barbara J. Bryan Endowed Teaching Chair. Dr. Perdian received a bachelor’s in Chemistry from the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Iowa State University. Dr. Perdian has won three Classroom Research Awards from Broward College including an Aspen Institute Faculty Innovation Grant. He also serves as a faculty development coordinator for the Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning.

Professor Keisha Johnson is an adjunct professor who teaches Public Speaking and an introductory course in Speech Communication. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and a master's in Communication from Florida Atlantic University. She also holds a master's degree in Educational Leadership and is currently working on a doctorate degree.

JUDSON A. SAMUELS SOUTH CAMPUS

Dr. Abushieba Ibrahim was born and raised in Sudan. He arrived in the United States in 2004 and joined the Broward College faculty, in 2006, as a Mathematics professor. He has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Sudan University of Science and Technology, a master’s in Mathematics from Nile Valley University, , an MBA from American Intercontinental University, and a Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics from Sudan University of Science and Technology. Dr. Ibrahim was named Adjunct Professor of the Year in 2009-10 and 2014-15.

Professor Ryan Mahabir has been teaching Chemistry in the Physical Science Department for the past three years. He was born and raised in Trinidad and moved to New York, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Chemistry from St. John's University. He is in his tenth year as an adjunct professor.

ONLINE

Jody Harris has been a Mathematics professor at Broward College since 2005 and a mentor and tutor for more than 35 years. In 2005-06, she was named a Professor of the Year and, in 2016, she received an Endowed Teaching Chair award. A graduate of Broward College, she also has a master's degree in Mathematics from Florida International University.

Dr. Carl Letamendi joined Broward College as an adjunct professor in 2014. Since then, he has taught Personal Finance, Business Mathematics, Principles of Financial Management, and Managing Cultural Diversity. Dr. Letamendi has held several appointments at non-profits, corporations, and in federal, local, and state government. Dr. Letamendi is the co-founder and CEO of a non-profit think tank and consultancy, Ology Research Group. He earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration, an MBA in Finance, a Ph.D. in the Social Sciences, and is graduating with his master's degree in Public Health in May 2021. He is also a certified Statistician (GStat), a designation conferred by the American Statistical Association.