Dr. Currie honored with KCTCS/HCTC New Horizon Award

Hazard Community and Technical College students, especially those interested in the sciences, benefit from the work of Dr. Paul Currie. He makes it a point to get to know students and their interests; he then guides them in creating an academic/career pathway for their educational future.

His outstanding work in teaching, outreach and collaboration has prompted Hazard Community and Technical College to nominate Associate Professor of Biology and Chemistry Dr. Paul Currie for the KCTCS New Horizons Faculty Award of Excellence. Dr. Currie will be honored by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System at a statewide conference later this month.

Dr. Currie utilized creative advising, scheduling, and teaching strategies to revitalize the HCTC Chemistry program which has resulted in tremendous growth. Paul had a vision for an Associate in Science Biomedical Track which would make HCTC the college of choice for a variety of students hoping to pursue a future career in the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician s assistant, nursing, physical therapy, or veterinary science.

HCTC Provost and Vice President of Academic Services, Dr. R. Kathy Smoot, praised Dr. Currie for his work with the University Center of the Mountains: Higher Education Center to develop new bachelor s degree and career pathway programs, recruit new four-year partners, and work with various UCM partners to promote events, such as the Biomedical Academic Career Planning Workshop.

HCTC President, Dr. Steve Greiner, noted that Dr. Currie has also been chosen to teach in HCTC s Next Generation Academy based at the Lees College Campus in Jackson. This select program enrolls 16 of the top students at Breathitt County High School who will be graduating with both their high school diploma and an associate degree from HCTC.

We appreciate Dr. Currie s willingness to meet the students where they are and help them achieve their dreams of where they want to go. He provides the one-on-one attention to students often needed in these rigorous academic programs, and they know he has their best interest at heart, Dr. Greiner said.

Dr. Currie s past honors include the John Brown Outstanding Faculty Award Recipient for 2012, Division Excellence Award, 2009 HCTC s New Horizon Outstanding Faculty member, and previous faculty representative on the HCTC Board of Directors.

Besides his excellence in the classroom, Dr. Currie has served as Distance Learning Coordinator, developed common online Human Anatomy and Physiology classes, and assisted in the development and training of faculty in distance learning.

Dr. Currie joined HCTC in August 2003. He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia, as well as bachelor s degrees in biology and chemistry from Saint Andrews Presbyterian College in North Carolina. He has studied abroad at James Cook University of North Queensland in Australia, in Mochima Bay in Venezuela, and Antarctica.

Anyone interested in a biomedical track program, should contact Dr. Paul Currie; he ll help provide the guidance and assistance to help students reach their educational goals.