Eight faculty members win inaugural Teaching Innovation Awards

 

Awardees were Linda Adair, PhD, professor of nutrition; Rebecca Fry, PhD, assistant professor of environmental sciences and engineering; Sherri Green, PhD, research assistant professor of maternal and child health; Amy Herring, ScD, professor of biostatistics; Diane Kelly, DrPH, adjunct assistant professor in the Public Health Leadership Program; John Paul, PhD, clinical associate professor of health policy and management; Charles Poole, ScD, associate professor of epidemiology; and Kurt Ribisl, PhD, associate professor of health behavior and health education.

 

The award presentation was part of the public health school’s “Celebrate Teaching!” Month. Three other events about teaching innovation are scheduled during February.

“They engage students in their own learning process by providing them with the opportunity to practice what they have been taught through creative assignments; to discuss, challenge and apply the new knowledge to current issues; and to employ new technologies, as deemed appropriate, for acquiring the information and in assessing whether the information has been learned.”These faculty members, Siega-Riz said, transcend the traditional lecture “and are not afraid to experiment with new teaching and learning methodologies. As such, they serve as role models and contribute to the achievement of our School’s mission to educate the next generation of public health leaders.”

Later in the month, three guest speakers will share their insights and experience in new and well-established pedagogical methods:

• Kelly Hogan, PhD, senior lecturer in biology at UNC-Chapel Hill, will present “Evaluation of a Large Undergraduate Lecture Course Redesigned to Promote Engagement,” on Feb. 9 at 9 a.m. in the School’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Auditorium.
• David Kleinbaum, PhD, UNC alumnus and world-renowned professor of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, will present “Innovative Teaching: A Personal History,” on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. in 133 Rosenau Hall.
• Jeremy Petranka, PhD, lecturer in economics at UNC-Chapel Hill, will present “Video Thrilled the Lecturing Star: Using Electronic Lectures (eLectures) to Complement In-class Instruction,” on Feb. 22 at 11 a.m, in 235 Rosenau Hall.

“Celebrate Teaching!” Month is sponsored by the School’s Academic Programs Committee. The full schedule of events can be found online.

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.