Posted 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Shauna Sallmen receives 2026 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award
At UW-La Crosse, outstanding instructors shape students’ lives inside and outside the classroom.
This year, UWL’s Provost Office received nearly 500 nominations from students hoping to recognize faculty who have had a meaningful impact on their college experience. From these nominations, a university committee selected six faculty to receive 2026 Eagle Teaching Excellence Awards.
They are:
- Aaron Koepke, Marketing
- Dipankar Mitra, Computer Science & Computer Engineering
- Jarred Pfeiffer, Art
- Denise Rueter, Educational Studies
- Shauna Sallmen, Physics
- Kevin Zabel, Psychology
This is the fifth of six stories highlighting the award recipients.
Shauna Sallmen, Physics
Started at UWL: 2003
Courses: I am in the Physics Department. I teach both physics and astronomy courses. I currently teach astronomy courses at all levels, along with upper-division physics courses. I have also taught introductory physics courses during my time at UWL.
Background: Before coming to UWL, I was a postdoctoral fellow and then a research astronomer at the Space Sciences Lab of the University of California at Berkeley. I also taught an evening astronomy class at Vista College in Berkeley, which showed me how much I enjoyed teaching.
Favorite part of teaching: Overall, I love sharing my delight and passion for the subjects of physics and astronomy. The universe and how it works are incredibly amazing, and it is wonderful to see students appreciating these topics. I enjoy teaching most when students are actively participating in class: solving physics problems in groups, loudly discussing astronomy concepts with one another, responding to my prompts and asking me questions. Those times in the classroom feel very collaborative and productive.