Many professors and teaching fellows at Harvard must learn how to balance families, academic research and teaching, but their accomplishments often go unrecognized.

That all changed last night as both professors and Teaching Fellows were honored in the 15th annual Joseph R. Levenson Memorial Award ceremony.

Cabot Profesor of American literature Alan E. Heimert, Senior Preceptor in Visual and Enivormnental Studies (VES) Robb Moss, and Cabot House resident tutor Matt Lieberman were all honored by their students at the banquet, which was held in the Eliot House dining hall.

"[Lieberman] is honestly the most outstanding teacher I've ever had," said Danielle A. Hootnick '99.

Lieberman is Hootnick's Psychology 15 teaching fellow and tutor.

The Levenson award was started in 1982 to recognize one graduate student, one member of the junior Faculty and one member of the senior Faculty.

The selection process is run by the Undergraduate Council, which distributes an evaluation form for students to nominate their teachers.

"It's nice that there is an award that recognizes teaching and I'm proud to be one of the recipients," Moss said.

Moss was nominated by students who are taking or took his VES 50 class, in which the students work together to create a film for their final project.

"My experience of VES 50 was cooperation unlike any other class or activity I've ever been involved in," said Andrew K. Sachs '97, a Crimson editor and one of Moss's nominators.

Matthew Lieberman was nominated by nine of his students for the Levenson award.

"I am not really big on awards, but I am big on this one which is something that comes from the students," Lieberman said.

Lieberman's students said they nominated him not only for his teaching abilities and dedication, but also because they considered him a real friend.

"I've had a lot of great teachers in the classroom, but Matt's commitments as a friend surpass any realistic expectations I could have had for a TF," said Sally J. Wolf '97.

"I had [Lieberman] for sophomore tutorial, and he remained committed to my studies for the past three years, including thesis drafts," she added.