Awards of Distinction

Carla Ramsdell is a practitioner-in-residence in App State's Department of Physics and Astronomy, where she has taught since 2008. Ramsdell is a registered professional mechanical engineer who worked in the industry for 15 years before joining the university's faculty. At App State, she exclusively teaches courses in the General Education curriculum and is a past winner of University College's Faculty Award for Excellence in General Education Teaching.

Ramsdell has developed a variety of courses revolving around physics and sustainability, including The Physics of Food and Cooking. In this course, students explore the scientific concepts that underlie everyday cooking, including how to heat and cool food, which foods have greater impacts on climate change and how to cook with solar energy.

"Carla is an extremely engaging speaker and presenter," said a nominator and colleague. "During most classes she brings in a cart full of equipment used to demonstrate the core principles of living and cooking sustainably. These activities engage the students in an active capacity."

Ramsdell has also developed multiple activities for students outside the classroom, including the annual Community FEaST event and Cooking with Purpose initiative.

Ramsdell holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Stetson University and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida.