Dr. Ryan Thurman Receives the 2025 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Excellence
The Department of Biological Sciences is proud to announce that Dr. Ryan Thurman has been selected as the recipient of the University at Albany, College of Arts and Sciences 2025 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Excellence. This award recognizes faculty who go above and beyond in supporting student learning and success. Nominees must have taught full-time at the University at Albany for at least three years and consistently shown excellence in teaching and mentoring. The award considers many aspects of a teacher’s work, including engaging classroom instruction, creative approaches to teaching, strong advising, and meaningful guidance of student projects and research.
For the past seven years as a Lecturer in Biological Sciences, Dr. Thurman has distinguished himself as an educator and a mentor whose work has significantly advanced forensic science education at UAlbany.
Dr. Thurman holds both a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Central Arkansas. His early career included serving as a Forensic Chemist at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory where he gained hands-on experience with analytical techniques central to Forensic Science investigation. In 2013, he earned a Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, he conducted advanced research on the KRAS signaling protein and its interactions with small-molecule inhibitors using multi-dimensional NMR spectroscopy.
Since joining UAlbany in 2018, Dr. Thurman has played a key role in expanding and strengthening the University’s Forensic Science curriculum. For example, he redesigned ABIO 175: Forensic Science and Investigation, a non-major course whose enrollment has increased from approximately 70 students to more than 500 per semester. He also instructs additional undergraduate and graduate courses including Forensic Science, Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology, and Instrumental and Biochemical Analysis.
Dr. Thurman has also been an active mentor in undergraduate and graduate research. To date, he has supervised for credit eight undergraduate researchers and thirteen master’s students in areas such as water and soil analysis, forensic entomology, toxic mushroom identification, and decomposition chemistry.
Dr Thurman has been involved in STEM outreach that has provided attendees with hands-on experience by instructing a University in High School summer course for secondary educators offering ABIO 175 for UAlbany credit, contributing to Girls Inc.® Eureka! “Journey to Forensic Science Discovery” Summer Camp and participating in a weeklong forensic science program for area students through the 2025 Provost Community Outreach Initiative.
Since 2023, Dr. Thurman has served as Director of the Minor in Forensic Science and the M.S. in Forensic Science Investigation and Management programs. Both programs have seen increased enrollment, expanded internship placements, and new career opportunities through partnerships with state and federal forensic science agencies. He is also collaborating with colleagues across the College of Arts and Sciences to co-develop a new Department of Biological Sciences B.S. in Forensic Science program.
A Well-Deserved Honor
Throughout his tenure at UAlbany, Dr. Thurman has demonstrated the highest standards of teaching, mentorship, leadership, and service. His contributions have already left a profound impact on UAlbany students, and his vision continues to shape the future of forensic science education both locally and nationally. The Department of Biological Sciences congratulates Dr. Ryan Thurman on receiving the 2025 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Excellence.
Click on the following for information on the UAlbany’s Department of Biological Sciences Forensic Science Programs: MS Forensic Science Investigation and Management | University at Albany