This year’s winners persevered during the pandemic to remain focused on their students.
Carolina honored 25 faculty members and teaching assistants for their accomplishments with 2021 University Teaching Awards.
Given annually, these awards acknowledge the University’s commitment to outstanding teaching and mentoring for graduate and undergraduate students.
“Throughout a challenging year in the midst of a global pandemic, the winners quickly adapted to new ways of teaching. They persevered to maintain their focus on helping students become critical thinkers and problem solvers, while inspiring them to take on the most important challenges facing society,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Robert A. Blouin. “Our award winners are shining examples of the University’s commitment to effective, innovative teaching.”
The University Committee on Teaching Awards, which oversees the selection process, encouraged students to nominate deserving faculty and graduate teaching assistants for the awards. The committee sought nominations with specific examples that display the nominees’ care for students, mentorship and effective use of classroom methods.
These faculty members and teaching assistants earned University Teaching Awards this year:
Board of Governors’ Award for Excellence in Teaching, Nominee
- Sharon James, Department of Classics
Distinguished Teaching Awards for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction
- Kenya McNeal-Trice, Department of Pediatrics
- Mina Hosseinipour, Department of Medicine
- Eileen Burker, Department of Allied Health Sciences
- Martinette Horner, School of Education
Tanner Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
- Elizabeth Havice, Department of Geography
- Frank Leibfarth, Department of Chemistry
- Richard Goldberg, Department of Applied Physical Sciences
- Brian Taylor, Department of Biology
- Yuki Aratake, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Carlyle Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award
- Doria El Kerdany, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
- Tanya Shields, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies
Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Sandra Martin, Department of Maternal and Child Health
William C. Friday/Class of 1986 Award for Excellence in Teaching
- Kurt Gray, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Johnston Teaching Excellence Awards
- Maya Berry, Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
- Hans Christianson, Department of Mathematics
Chapman Family Teaching Awards
- Todd Austell, Department of Chemistry
- Lisa Woodley, School of Nursing
- Glenn Hinson, Department of Anthropology
- Kris Jordan, Department of Computer Science
Tanner Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants
- Wonkyung Jang, School of Education
- Danielle Weber, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
- Ben Levy, Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Pavel Nitchovski, Department of Philosophy
- DeeAnn Spicer , Department of Philosophy
The Well will feature short profiles of each of the award winners in early March.
By Jane Calloway, The Well