Ramona Naddaff has been awarded the Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Writing in recognition of her immense contributions to the teaching of the art of writing across the campus over the past decade and in anticipation of successes in the years to come.
As founding director of the Art of Writing (AoW) program at the Townsend Center for the Humanities since 2015, Professor Naddaff has made extraordinary contributions to the academic life of students and faculty. AoW is dedicated to supporting excellence in undergraduate writing and in the teaching of writing at Berkeley that includes the following major components: intensive training in writing pedagogy for the graduate student instructors who teach Berkeley's vital Reading & Composition courses, a summer session seminar that helps transfer students succeed in research and writing for their major, a peer writing tutor program serving all Berkeley students enrolled in Reading & Composition courses, and a peer writing fellows program of tutors embedded in undergraduate courses, specialized training for STEM faculty and graduate students who wish to learn to teach writing in their disciplines, and the opportunity to use their training to teach STEM-related Art of Writing undergraduate seminars, writing-intensive internships at organizations such as the LA Review of Books and local publisher Transit Books to help undergraduates gain real-life editorial and communications skills and experience in professional contexts, undergraduate writing workshops led by expert professionals, and writing workshops for local high school students. As a result of Naddaff’s dedication and her insight, AoW is transforming the writing landscape of the Berkeley campus. The Koshland Chair recognizes these accomplishments and singles Naddaff out as one of Berkeley’s most distinguished faculty members.
The chair is named in honor of Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. (1920–2007), a renowned UC Berkeley biochemist, professor, and former editor of Science magazine, known for his research on enzymes.
Congratulations, Ramona!