Maria Pettolina, professor of practice in the Forensics Institute, has been awarded the 2026 CTLE and SOURCE Award for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Teaching, a new honor at Syracuse University recognizing excellence in integrating research directly into undergraduate coursework.

Pettolina received the award during the Orange Talks and Awards Ceremony hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) in partnership with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA). The annual event celebrates student achievement while also recognizing faculty mentors whose teaching advances undergraduate research and scholarship.

The CURE Teaching Award highlights a faculty member who has developed an impactful course grounded in the principles of course-based undergraduate research. Pettolina was recognized for her course, FSC 440: Practical Crime Scene Research, which immerses students in hands-on, inquiry-driven research experiences rooted in real-world forensic practice.