Mary V. Lipscomb honored with emerita status

Mary V. Lipscomb M.S. ’86, Ph.D. ’91, senior instructor of biology in the College of Science at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of senior instructor emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emerita title may be conferred on retired faculty members who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.

A member of the Virginia Tech community for over 32 years, Lipscomb taught numerous undergraduate courses, placing strong emphasis on student learning and engagement. She was an integral part of a team that created materials for and successfully implemented a “flipped” classroom design for the Principles of Biology courses, positively impacting the learning experience of thousands of students, and she was recognized as a pioneer online instructor who implemented strategies for technology-enhanced learning.

In recognition of her outstanding teaching ability, she received numerous teaching awards and recognition, including the College of Science Certificate of Teaching Excellence in 2018 and the Virginia Tech William E. Wine Award in 2020. Lipscomb is known by her colleagues and students for seeking out new ways to deliver material, using student feedback and creativity to continually hone her teaching practice.

Lipscomb received her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Virginia Tech.