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Outstanding Faculty Award
The Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member / Golden Apple Award 2007 was presented to Duane M. Grembowicz, Associate Professor of Science, during Ocean County College’s 40th Annual Commencement Ceremony held Thursday, May 24, 2007, at the College’s Main Campus in Toms River, NJ.
 Professor Grembowicz is a graduate of Ocean County College, Drew University, and Rutgers University. He has achieved local, state, and national recognition as a field biologist and environmentalist and is an authority on New Jersey’s Pinelands environment. Grembowicz is active in a variety of community organizations, including serving as the chair of the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, as commissioner of the Pine Beach Environmental Commission, and as president of the Ocean Nature and Conservation Society.
“Duane is an exciting and well-respected teacher of biological and environmental sciences,” said Dr. Frank Wetta, OCC Vice President of Academic Affairs. “The Golden Apple is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the College and the field of science.”
Letter of Nomination
 "I am nominating and fully supporting Professor Duane Grembowicz for consideration as Ocean County College’s 2007 Outstanding Professor of the Year Award. Duane is truly the most outstanding educator and teacher I have ever met. Never have I witnessed a professor so highly dedicated to his students and his scientific discipline. He has touched and inspired our student’s lives like none other. Numerous students have made special trips to my office, not just to let me know what an outstanding professor he is, but to let me know how he has changed their lives and encouraged them to go on to pursue a career science.
I had the privilege of observing two of Duane’s classes in the field, BIOL 261 Ecology and ENVR 152 Environmental Science. The phrase “in the field” takes on a whole new meaning for Duane’s courses. I put on my hiking boots and trudged through swamps and marshes in the Pine Barrens getting “down and dirty” and closer to nature than you can imagine. I was so moved by the excellence of his knowledge and skill of his teaching field biology that I immediately developed a webpage on OCC’s science website, so students would know what a truly wonderful learning experience it was, and encouraged the students not to miss this special opportunity at Ocean County College.
 Duane puts a huge amount of his personal time into teaching his courses. It is hard to imagine how he maintains the energy on a weekly basis to keep up this level of intensity and weekly field trips that go well beyond the typical laboratory periods and must be scheduled so they can run over into the activity periods. I observed him teaching ENVR 152 Environmental Science in the middle of a snow storm in the woods! I can’t tell you what a beautiful experience that was. It was a high point in my professional life as a dean to witness such a bond that was forged between an inspiring professor and his students who were awestruck with a once in a lifetime experience. During his tenure as advisor to the science club he took the students on trips ranging from Florida’s Everglades to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. His students related a humorous story of how they were approaching a moose in Newfoundland, attempting to film him, when the moose decided to charge towards them. This was captured on tape, including the now renowned expletive.
Duane has achieved local, statewide and national recognition as an almost legendary field biologist. He is renown among his professional peers. He has become a household name among the local and state environmental community. He has forged significant relationships with organizations such as the New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, US Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, Ocean County Soil Conservation District, Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension of Ocean County, that allows us to share their facilities and equipment to enhance his field experiences.
Duane is probably the most collegial, mentoring, humble and truly kind faculty member you could ever meet. He is the most outstanding and inspiring faculty member I have ever met. He is not only a tremendous asset to Ocean County College, but to humanity itself. He has enriched my life and has been a source of encouragement countless students. We are so fortunate to have him as a member of our faculty. I can think of no one who is more deserving of this award as the 2007 Outstanding Professor of the Year."
Letter of Nomination
Dr. Jim Brown
Dean of Science, Engineering,
Health Sciences and Human Performance
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