Stephen F. Austin State University

Markworth has been teaching at SFA for 29 years. In that time he has taught every course offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and has written and/or edited several laboratory manuals used by the department. In 1999 he developed and taught the first Web-based course ever offered at SFA. The success of his online astronomy class led the way in the development of the extensive online offerings now available through the university.

“Dr. Markworth teaches with a relaxed style that helps the students to be at ease with their classes and assignments,” according to Dr. Harry Downing, professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “This is a special quality that a physics and astronomy teacher needs since the material is so intense for our students.”

In addition to his physics and astronomy classes, Markworth has taught musical acoustics in the College of Fine Arts and secured 35 different grants totaling more than $340,000.

“One of the greatest impacts that Dr. Markworth has had for our region relates to the observatory,” Downing said. “Mainly through his individual efforts, our observatory has become a first-class facility. We have the largest teaching observatory in Texas, and our 41-inch telescope is the largest between Cambridge, Mass., and the McDonald Observatory in West Texas.”

Markworth earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Illinois – Urbana and a doctorate degree in astronomy from the University of Florida. His professional associations include the International Astronomical Union, the American Astronomical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the Council on Undergraduate Research. He is a past recipient of the Student Government Association Professor of the Year Award and a two-time recipient of the Departmental and College Teaching Excellence Award.

Markworth said, as a scientist, he is especially pleased to be receiving the Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching.

“I think people often think of scientists as being researchers first and teachers second,” he said. “But I can tell you that in my department we have some outstanding educators, and I’m very proud to have been nominated by my chair and to be receiving this recognition from the SFA Foundation.”

Criteria for Faculty Achievement Award in Teaching

Criteria for Faculty Achievement Award in Research