Philosophy’s Geoffrey Brennan Awarded Gutenberg Teaching Award

Professor Geoffrey Brennan has been awarded the 2018 Gutenberg Teaching Award, in recognition of Geoffrey’s long commitment to and innovation in teaching, and the study of philosophy, political sciences and economics.

"Geoffrey Brennan is an outstanding researcher of international acclaim and established his reputation as director of various highly renowned research institutes. It is very rare and absolutely exemplary that such an academic personality also dedicates a large amount of time and energy, consistently over many years, to the promotion of excellence in undergraduate teaching." Professor Andreas Hildebrandt, Director of the JGU Gutenberg Teaching Council said.

After establishing the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) program at Duke and UNC in the United States, Geoffrey helped established the well regarded PPE program here at ANU.

"These PPE programs have been extremely successful, not least with international students. We hope that Professor Brennan will reveal some of the secrets of this success to us when he visits Mainz next year", added Hildebrandt.

Geoffrey credits a mixture of performance and a desire to spark intellectual enthusiasm with his success teaching.

“I like to bring a sense of intellectual enthusiasm to what I teach. I like to convey to students that the material being studied is important and interesting. So my style is energetic and committed (there is perhaps a bit of the "performance" in my delivery.)”

Though Geoffrey has recently retired, he has no plans to slow down.

“I expect and hope that it will continue much as it has in the past. Part of the secret of keeping the whole enterprise interesting has for me been the slight shift over time in disciplinary focus and location. I am always learning new things (and up to a point bluffing my way through areas that I don't know much about.) Whatever else, that's invigorating.”

Looking back on his time at ANU, Geoffrey recalls the strong level of professional commitment and spirit of equality throughout as highlights, and essential components of the University’s vibrant culture.

Geoffrey Brennan will travel to Mainz University in Germany to receive his award in early 2019.