Yeatts, Turner receive UNC teaching awards
April 1, 2015
A faculty member and a doctoral student teaching assistant at the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health were chosen recently for Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Awards (SUTASA).
Karin Yeatts, PhD, research assistant professor of epidemiology, and Kea Turner, a doctoral student in the health policy and management department, received the awards, which were established in 1989 to recognize outstanding undergraduate instruction at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Dr. Karin Yeatts
Kea Turner
Each year, a committee of 15 to 20 undergraduate students selects the annual SUTASA awardees. Recipients are chosen based on demonstrated and consistent excellence in undergraduate teaching, creation of a dynamic intellectual environment and success in positively affecting a broad spectrum of students both in and outside the classroom.
Yeatts is one of three UNC-Chapel Hill professors to be recognized with a SUTASA award this year. Several students from her fall 2014 course, “Honors Introduction to Public Health,” submitted nominations.
In the class, which is intended to expose more undergraduates to both the public health field and the Gillings School, Yeatts used active learning principles to design team assignments covering topics in epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior, nutrition, maternal and child health, environment and health policy.
Her innovative team exercises included a “super-taster” activity designed to introduce students to epidemiological concepts of measurement and issues of confidentiality in research with human subjects. Class members also formulated social media campaigns, and even got their hands wet during an assignment on environmental water sampling.
The letters of nomination from Yeatts’ students demonstrated how her teaching stimulated excitement and interest in public health.
“Dr. Yeatts is the best professor I’ve ever had,” shared one undergraduate. “I came into her class looking only to fulfill my honors requirement, but came out of it with a new passion, a wealth of knowledge and a desire to potentially pursue a career in a public health field.”
Another nominator agreed. “Dr. Yeatts gave us the freedom to choose any local organization that addresses a public health issue, and she provided plenty of ideas and resources for us to get started,” the student said. “The final project allowed me to learn about the issue of local childhood hunger, which I am now very passionate about.”
Yeatts said she was honored to receive the award. “I have amazing students,” she declared. More information on Yeatts’ course can be found in her evaluation article about the class, published online December 23, 2014 in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.
Turner is one of six teaching assistants receiving a 2015 SUTASA award. She teaches HPM 350/352, a yearlong introductory course on health services systems.
Multiple undergraduates nominated Turner for the award. “Kea has made a great impact in both my academic development and personal growth,” wrote one student. “She has gone above and beyond as far as being available for questions and advice on coursework. She has a way of delivering criticism in a very constructive manner, and has expanded my thought process with regard to public health.”
“Kea has been the best teaching assistant I’ve ever had at Carolina,” said another of Turner’s students. “She has tremendous potential to contribute to the UNC community as an engaging teacher and caring mentor.”
“I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to work with and get to know the BSPH students this year,” Turner commented. “Their enthusiasm and commitment to public health is inspiring and it reminds me of why I am here. I’m truly honored to receive this award and to be nominated by such an impressive group of undergraduates.”
Yeatts and Turner will be recognized during the Chancellor’s Award Ceremony on April 22 at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Frank Porter Graham Student Union.
