Professor Benjamin Dotger, Director of the Center for Experiential Pedagogy and Practice in the Syracuse University School of Education (SOE), will accept the 2025 Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction at the One University Awards Ceremony on April 11 at 1 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.
First presented in 1979, Chancellor’s Citation awards recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the University in four categories: Student Research, Student Experience and University Initiatives, Lifetime Achievement, and Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction. Each year, members of the University community are invited to nominate colleagues and co-workers for recognition, and a selection committee of faculty and staff from across campus reviews the nominations.
In awarding the citation, Chancellor Kent Syverud writes, “Professor Dotger fosters innovation and change by expanding the reach of his clinical simulation model, addressing interpersonal challenges across many disciplines. His scholarly work empowers colleagues and students to collaborate and advance research excellence through publications and grant-funded research projects, and he provides distinctive learning opportunities for students. It is especially noted that this work has been specifically targeted to veterans and offers military-connected students unique learning experiences.”
“Ben’s development of clinical simulations as a pre-professional learning model is exemplary of the School of Education’s innovative and cross-cutting scholarship. Originally created to introduce pre-service teachers to challenging situations in a controlled environment, the model now offers practice for school leaders, counselors, veterans, therapists, finance professionals—and his Center only continues to grow,” says Kelly Chandler-Olcott, SOE Dean and Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence. “I’m pleased and proud that the University is spotlighting Ben’s work, and I join with his colleagues and friends across campus in applauding his deserved award.”
“Ben’s development of clinical simulations as a pre-professional learning model is exemplary of the School of Education’s innovative and cross-cutting scholarship.”
Dean Kelly Chandler-Olcott
“Ben is a great collaborator and mentor—fostering interdisciplinary collaborations with faculty across the University and mentoring a cadre of student researchers, from undergraduates funded through one of his many SOURCE grants to doctoral student researchers doing research on SIMs,” says Beth Ferri, SOE Professor and Associate Dean for Research.
In addition to his directorship of CEPP, Dotger teaches education foundations courses to secondary and K-12 student teachers. His scholarship centers on the design and study of clinical simulations, with emphasis on identity formation, discipline-specific practices, and physiological responses. This work has been supported by numerous federal and private foundations, including the Spencer Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the National Science Foundation, and the Institute for Educational Sciences.