2025 ‘Great Teacher’ Isabel Escobar helps students see the big picture

This March, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association honored six recipients of this year’s Great Teacher Awards.

Launched in 1961, it is the longest-running UK awards program recognizing accomplished and passionate educators.

In order to receive the honor, teachers must first be nominated by a student. The UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award Committee, in cooperation with the student organization Omicron Delta Kappa, then makes the final selection. Recipients receive a commemorative award and stipend.

Isabel Escobar, Ph.D., the Paul W. Chellgren Endowed Chair and professor of chemical and materials engineering in the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, is one of this year’s distinguished Great Teacher Award recipients.

For Escobar, teaching is all about connection — between people, between ideas and between disciplines.

“I love teaching,” Escobar said. “And I learned early on that the ‘ah-ha’ moment — when they get it, and you see the sparkle — that is just amazing to me, because it’s absolutely fulfilling.”

Escobar says she sees her classroom as a family.

“I look at the students and I try to see the individuals,” she said. “They’re not required to come to class — they’re choosing to come to class. So I see it as my job to be there, to give everything that I have.”

Escobar is known for her holistic approach to education — helping students see how their coursework fits together.

“A class is not an island; it’s all part of your learning,” she said. “So let’s connect with your body of learning. How can we make it to where we can see the big picture? That excites me a lot.”

Escobar’s students describe her as both challenging and deeply supportive.

“What makes a difference is her genuine enthusiasm and clear passion for teaching,” said David Lu, who has taken her classes as both an undergraduate and graduate student and nominated her for the award. “That’s really the kind of teacher that motivates students to succeed — and even inspires future teachers.”

In addition to her teaching, Escobar serves as associate director of UK’s Center of Membrane Sciences and as director of the UK Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, where she continues to champion student growth and interdisciplinary collaboration.

A pioneer in water treatment research, Escobar focuses on developing sustainable polymeric membrane materials for water reuse and difficult separations. She was part of an innovative collaboration that produced a 3D-printed membrane-filtered face mask capable of inactivating the coronavirus. She is also past chair of the national governing board of the Association for Women in Science and serves as associate editor of Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy.

To learn more about what makes Escobar a “Great Teacher,” check out the video and “Behind the Blue” podcast episode above. 

About “Behind the Blue”

“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes, YouTube and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

“Behind the Blue” is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.