
2018 DTA Medal

Medal design by Mansoo Han
“For 131 years, Pratt Institute has fostered many influential artists due to its good environment and excellent professors. The medal symbolizes the historic campus and students through the grid and the geometric shape. Pratt’s mission is placed on the perimetric edge of the medal.”
Damon Chaky
Distinguished Teacher 2018–19
Professor Damon Chaky has been teaching in Pratt’s Department of Mathematics and Science since 2006 and is the coordinator of general education for the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He was co-chair of the steering committee for Pratt’s most recent institutional reaccreditation and has presented aspects of Pratt’s innovative STEM and general education pedagogy at national conferences.
Chaky’s background as an environmental chemist is strongly reflected in the theme of sustainability in his undergraduate and graduate science courses. He also serves on the capstone advisory committee of the sustainable environmental systems graduate program and is a guest lecturer in the undergraduate sustainability minor coordinated by the Social Science and Cultural Studies Department.
As this year’s Distinguished Teacher Award recipient, Chaky expresses special gratitude to the students who participated in the nomination and review process. But he also takes this opportunity to thank all Pratt students—on behalf of all Pratt faculty—for inspiring us with your work and for giving us the opportunity to be so inspired.