Campus News

APLU recognizes ag lawyer for teaching excellence

Centner
Terence Centner

Agricultural lawyer Terence Centner’s focus on current issues and his cultivation of thoughtful debate have made him a favorite instructor in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Late last fall, his engaging teaching style also won him national recognition. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities recognized Centner with its national award for excellence in college and university teaching for food and agricultural sciences.

Centner received the award at the 128th APLU annual meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The award recognizes faculty members with outstanding scholarship, exemplary pedagogy and dedication to instruction. Only two national awards were given for 2015. The other went to Garey A. Fox, a professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at Oklahoma State University.

“To be recognized as one of the top teachers in all American colleges of food, agriculture, natural resources, human sciences and related fields is a tremendous honor,” said Josef Broder, interim dean and director for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Dr. Centner’s dedication to teaching excellence and his personal commitment to student success are most appreciated by the college and university.”

Since joining the UGA faculty in 1982, Centner’s teaching has focused on engaging students through rigorous reading assignments, discussion and assignments.

He employs the Socratic method in his agricultural and environmental law classes, which requires students to learn how to formulate responses to questions, observe how others handle challenging inquiries and prepare themselves for their future careers.

A leader in curriculum development, Centner proposed and helped develop three majors, three minors, one certificate and an accelerated bachelor’s and master’s program. He has presented seminars at 27 foreign universities.