California State University, Los Angeles recently honored Mar Vista resident Sharon H. Ulanoff, a literacy specialist who has been instrumental in helping prepare future education leaders, with the University’s 2011 Outstanding Professor Award.
At Cal State Los Angeles, the annual Outstanding Professor Awards recognize excellence in teaching and cite significant achievements in scholarly inquiry or creativity, professional activities, and service to the campus and community.
Revered for her work in bilingual/multicultural and literacy education, Ulanoff serves as associate director of the Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership and also teaches in the M.A. in Education, Option in Reading Program, at Cal State L.A. The University’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership program was launched in fall 2009 with approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the CSU Office of the Chancellor.
Demonstrating her interest in student-focused teaching, Ulanoff has served as a thesis committee member for two creative literacy students; thesis committee chair for four M.A. students; and dissertation committee chair for five Ed.D. students and co-chair for another student. A CSULA faculty member since 2001, she has been praised by numerous students for her commitment to education. For example, a student commented: “I have come to consider you as one of my most influential mentors because your insights and expertise have contributed to my understanding of how my professional, academic and artistic interests are all interwoven.â€
Ulanoff’s research interests include literacy and biliteracy acquisition, teacher identity development, narrative inquiry and practitioner research. She has published numerous peer-review articles in a variety of publications, books and proceedings. Her recent publications address professional development, second-language teaching, and effective second-language literacy practices, including a co-authored book, entitled Differentiated Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners, published in 2009. She has presented at many professional meetings and conferences locally, regionally and nationally.
Ulanoff has also garnered grants in support of her past research on reading comprehension, teacher education reform and assessment of reading specialist competencies. She is chair of the Special Interest Group Executive Committee of the American Educational Research Association, and was recently appointed as a member of the editorial board of the Bilingual Research Journal. At CSULA, she served on the Institution Review Board, the Senate Executive Committee, Faculty Policy Committee, and the Semester Conversion Committee. Ulanoff received her Ph.D. in language, literacy, and learning from the University of Southern California in 1993.
Other 2011 Outstanding Professors include Ali Modarres, an urban geographer whose work has been published in major journals and publications; Simeon Slovacek, a distinguished expert in school reform and program evaluation; and Feimeng Zhou, an esteemed chemist who is committed to involving students in research. This year’s Outstanding Lecturer Award was presented to Atsuko Sato, Political Science lecturer. Additionally, Kylie Hsu, an internationally-recognized scholar, published author and a key faculty in establishing the University’s Chinese Program and Asian and Asian American Studies Program, is the recipient of this year’s Cal State L.A. President’s Distinguished Professor Award.
