The Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) Project has named three longtime practitioners as recipients of its prestigious POGIL Impact Award, including Dr. Michael Garoutte of Missouri Southern State University (MSSU).
The Impact Award recognizes individuals or teams who have achieved exceptional outcomes aligned with The POGIL Project’s strategic priorities. It celebrates sustained contributions, innovation, and meaningful influence within both the organization and the broader POGIL community.
A national nonprofit professional development organization, The POGIL Project is dedicated to enhancing teaching and learning by cultivating an inclusive and transformative community of reflective educators.
Garoutte, a professor of chemistry at Missouri Southern since 1997, has built a career centered on the scholarship of teaching and learning, with a strong emphasis on student-centered instruction. Since joining the POGIL community in the early 2000s, he has led numerous workshops and contributed extensively to curriculum development.
His work includes publishing the first collection of POGIL activities for allied health chemistry in 2007 and co-authoring the SPIRAL collection of first-year chemistry experiments in 2023. His service to The POGIL Project includes roles on the Steering Committee and continued involvement with the POGIL Activity Clearinghouse Executive Committee.
At Missouri Southern, Garoutte has also served as director of the Honors Program and led the Missouri Southern Regional (ISEF) Science Fair for nine years. He has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to student leadership through his role as Circle Coordinator for Omicron Delta Kappa, a position he has held since 2001.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award from a community that has taught me so much and helped me find purpose,” Garoutte said. “It is especially meaningful to be recognized alongside past recipients who have played such an important role in my professional and personal growth.”
“This year’s recipients truly exemplify the spirit of the POGIL Impact Award,” said Marcy Dubroff, associate director of The POGIL Project. “Caryl, Michael, and Clif have made lasting contributions that continue to shape the future of our work and our community.”
Garoutte will be formally recognized at The POGIL Project’s National Meeting in St. Louis in June 2026.
Reference:
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