Salzberg receives inaugural Faculty Award for Global Excellence
May 11, 2022
Dr. Aaron Salzberg
Aaron Salzberg, PhD, director of The Water Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Don and Jennifer Holzworth Distinguished Professor in the department of environmental sciences and engineering at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is one of three Carolina faculty to receive the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs’ (OVPGA) inaugural Faculty Award for Global Excellence in recognition of his contributions to advance global partnerships, education and research at UNC.
Salzberg, Marianne Baernholdt, PhD, and Diego Riveros-Iregui, PhD, were nominated by colleagues for demonstrating excellence in furthering the university’s global vision articulated in the 2020 strategic plan, Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good. Each awardee will receive a $5,000 award made possible through contributions to the Chancellors Global Education Fund.
Aaron Salzberg is the director of the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Don and Jennifer Holzworth Distinguished Professor in the department of environmental sciences and engineering. (Photo by Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
Barbara Stephenson, vice provost for global affairs, presented the awards to the faculty members in a ceremony on April 21.
“With so many talented and innovative faculty at Carolina, it was difficult to narrow down our selection,” said Stephenson. “But I believe our three awardees have not only influenced how their departments approach their fields of expertise, but they have also inspired students and faculty across campus and around the world with their global approach to their respective fields.”
In addition to leading The Water Institute, Salzberg also currently also serves as a member of the World Meteorological Organization’s Scientific Research Board and recently concluded his role as a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center.
Through his leadership and decades of experience using evidence to influence policy and solve global problems, Salzberg demonstrates to Carolina students many important skills necessary to become tomorrow’s leaders in solving global challenges.
Prior to his work at The Water Institute, he led the development of the first United States government-wide Global Water Strategy and worked with international partners to establish global norms and practices that promoted sustainable and integrated management of water resources through the United Nations, the G7 and many other multilateral fora.
At The Water Institute, Salzberg uses good science to drive policy and practice, collecting evidence to improve service delivery and water resources management around the world. He has also been a leader for the World View Teacher Student Initiative, which provides high school educators from eastern North Carolina with a professional development opportunity to expand the depth of their global knowledge.
Charle LaMonica, director of UNC World view, nominated Salzberg due to his leadership and long-term impact within the initiative. “By connecting UNC-Chapel Hill faculty member Dr. Aaron Salzberg to high school teachers and their students, UNC illustrates its commitment to serving all students in the state, encouraging the next generation of global leaders,” LaMonica wrote.
Nominations for the 2023 Faculty Awards for Global Excellence will be accepted December 2022 – February 2023. For more information, please contact Heather Ward, associate provost for global affairs, heather.ward@unc.edu.
Read the full story and learn more about all the awardees on the UNC Global website.
Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.
