The College of Science gathered on February 17, 2026 to recognize and celebrate our high-achieving faculty and staff at the 2026 Combined Awards Ceremony. The evening celebrated the very best in the College, from teaching, advising and research to inclusive excellence, administration and service. Elaine Cozzi received the Loyd F. Carter Award for Outstanding and Inspirational Teaching in Science (Graduate).

Students describe Cozzi’s classroom as a place where open inquiry is not only welcomed but expected. She encourages students to seek their own understanding, collaborate thoughtfully and speak up to check their reasoning. Her passion for mathematics is evident in every lecture, and students note how she brings them into the process through questions, discussions and creating an environment where everyone feels included in the intellectual conversation.

Her teaching style is grounded in clarity and accessibility. Students appreciate her straightforward notes, her use of the whiteboard to build ideas step by step and her ability to make challenging material feel approachable without sacrificing rigor. Beyond the classroom, she is known for being warm, supportive and exceptionally approachable during office hours.

For some students, her influence extends even further. “As someone who aspires to be a math educator one day, I see a lot of teaching habits in Elaine that I want to emulate,” one student shared.