It gives us great pleasure to announce that Dominique has been selected to receive UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Teaching Assistants (TAs). She is one of only six awardees selected from an extraordinary pool of nominees. This award is given to TAs who demonstrate a pattern of effective teaching that incorporates current pedagogical best practices, aims to inspire and challenge students, and supports the success of all students. The committee was impressed by Dominique’s innovative teaching methods and her ability to inspire and motivate learners.
As the recipient of this award, she will be recognized at the annual Andrea L. Rich Night to Honor Teaching event in the Fall 2026 and will receive a $6,000 award and certificate in recognition of her outstanding contributions to teaching.
Dominique’s commitment to improving her pedagogical knowledge is unparalleled. During her time as a PhD student, she has taught three times within the AOS department, two times with the Clusters Program, and four times as the TA Consultant for the Writing Programs unit. She worked at the Graduate Writing Center, consulting with graduate students across UCLA for three years. She has also pursued two different certificates dedicated to pedagogy: the Writing Programs’ Graduate Certificate in Writing Pedagogy (GCWP) and the certificate with the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). Through the GCWP, Dominique has created grammar tutorials and mini-lessons targeted at various writing issues that arise in her writing seminars. Through CIRTL@UCLA, she earned the Scholar Certificate for developing, implementing, and presenting a teaching-as-research project in one of her classes.
Dominique continues to use her pedagogical expertise to enrich student learning. From holding extra review sessions, giving personalized feedback, and conferencing with each student individually, it is clear that Dominique cares a lot about her students. In 2023, Dominique was awarded the AOS Morris Neiburger Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to teaching by graduate students in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
The UCLA Distinguished Teaching Awards celebrate teaching excellence and educational innovation, helping to elevate the practice of teaching as outlined in the UCLA for Life flagship initiative, a part of Chancellor Julio Frenk’s One UCLA campaign, and the University’s Strategic Plan. The awards recognize deserving instructors for their creativity in the classroom, dedication to helping students thrive, and commitment to continually enhancing the educational experience. A list of past Distinguished Teaching Award winners can be found on the Teaching and Learning Center website.
https://teaching.ucla.edu/news/2026-teaching-award-recipients