Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards

Jump down to: Award Recipients | Make a Nomination

The Award

TA's at work

NAGT recognizes outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award. Award winners receive a one year membership in NAGT, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and our In The Trenches quarterly magazine. The yearly membership starts January 1st of the upcoming year. The undergraduate student awards are the gift of Thomas Hendrix, Grand Valley State University. Tom was the recipient of the 1994 Neil Miner award and he also served as President of NAGT as editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education. The graduate student awards are funded by NAGT.

Award Recipients

2023 Recipients

January Award

  • Sydney Beltran, Tennessee Tech University
  • Gabrielle Burke, Tennessee Tech University
  • Kiersten Crye, Georgia State University
  • McKenna Ives, Eastern Washington University
  • Ashlesha (Ash) Khatiwada, University of Montana
  • Levi McKercher, University of South Carolina
  • Will Quanrud, University of South Carolina
  • Elyssa Rivera, Auburn University
  • Nicole Wagner, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • Katie Withrow, University of Victoria

June Award

  • Clemence Laffaille, Clemson University
  • Emma McCully, Boise State University
  • Kaitlyn Truss, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
  • Lauren Decker, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
  • Hannah Richardson, Boise State University
  • Mandy Abel, Central Washington University
  • Kayla Bicknell, Clemson University
  • Hunter P. Hughes, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Amadi Afua Sefah-Twerefour, University of South Carolina
  • Alex Schweitzer, Miami University
  • Kathryn Josten, Central Washington University
  • Gabriel Franco, University of South Carolina
  • Scarlette Hsia, University of Texas
  • Carson Broaddus, University of Montana

Past Recipients

Make a Nomination

Nominations must be submitted by an instructor familiar with the TA's instruction; for example, a department chair, someone coordinating teaching assistants, or another instructor of record. A nomination letter should include:

  • The name, address and class year of the nominee
  • The name of the course or courses in which the student assisted
  • A description of the activities and qualities that make this teaching assistant outstanding

Nominees will be evaluated holistically using the following criteria, though excellence in all criteria is neither expected nor required. Undergraduate and graduate student nominations will be evaluated separately.

  • Experience (For graduate students, two or more semesters will be valued favorably.)
  • Knowledge and application of evidence-based pedagogies (e.g. active learning)
  • Initiative to improve the course through an innovation or contribution
  • Attentiveness and responsiveness to fostering inclusive learning environments
  • Ability to develop trust and rapport with students
  • Ability to effectively manage course administration and logistics (e.g. learning management software, communication and assessment)
  • Conveys their own passion for geoscience and inspires it in others
  • Supports fellow educators by promoting a positive culture around teaching and learning

Nomination Deadlines: December 15th and June 15th

Nomination letters may be submitted by using our online nomination form or by sending them to our office:

NAGT - TA Award Nomination
c/o Carleton College/SERC
One North College Street
Northfield, MN 55057

Questions can be directed to Rebeccah Bradley.