Three University of Georgia faculty members have received the Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the university’s highest early career teaching honor for outstanding and innovative instruction.

The 2023 Russell Award recipients are:

• Jill Anderson, associate professor in the department of genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and the Odum School of Ecology
• Richard Hall, associate professor in the Odum School of Ecology and the department of infectious diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine
• Laura Zimmermann, associate professor in the department of economics, Terry College of Business, and the department of international affairs, School of Public and International Affairs

“Through their active-learning course designs and personalized mentorship, this year’s Russell Award recipients inspire their students to learn and discover in the classroom and be prepared to lead and serve in their future careers,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “They embody our university’s commitment to pursuing excellence in undergraduate education.”

Laura Zimmermann

With a joint appointment in economics and international affairs, Zimmermann is known for her interdisciplinary approach to teaching. In a classroom simulation, her students apply key economic concepts as they take on the role of NGO workers allocating resources following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Students in her politics of development course use declassified information from European governments and media channels alongside political science concepts as they study the Ethiopian famine of the 1980s. In addition to active-learning exercises, Zimmermann regularly uses photos and stories of her own travels and research abroad to provide context for her students.

“It is difficult to put a value on a student making the connection between their undergraduate studies and the ‘real world,’ but I think everyone can agree that it’s significant,” said Alice Kinman, senior lecturer in the UGA department of economics. “Dr. Zimmermann focuses on ensuring that all her students make that connection.”

Outside of the classroom, Zimmermann is a prolific advisor of undergraduate research and a champion in supporting and advising students underrepresented in their fields. She also provides key details about the industry and marketable skills through her “Career Corner” on eLC. This approach supports her goal of bringing the world into her classroom and empowering students in their research and career preparation.

Nominations for the Russell Awards are submitted by deans and considered by a committee of senior faculty members and undergraduate students. The awards are supported by the Richard B. Russell Foundation in Atlanta, and recipients receive $10,000. To learn more and see past recipients, visit the Russell Awards webpage.

In addition to the Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Dr. Zimmermann was named a part of the UGA Team Impact Award.

The Team Impact Award recognizes the critical contributions made by crosscutting teams in addressing today’s complex challenges. Specifically, the award recognizes a team for excellence in innovative and impactful scholarship that either has or soon promises to fundamentally advance knowledge, understanding and/or applications in ways not achievable by individual investigators or single disciplinary approaches alone.

The Center on Human Trafficking, Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) is an interdisciplinary effort based at the UGA School of Social Work and comprising faculty, staff, and students on three continents and operating in 10 countries. The center, formally established in 2021, has built a global community of human-trafficking scholars, an unprecedented achievement in this field. Garnering $30 million in funding, CenHTRO supports rigorous and innovative trafficking studies incorporating the expertise of faculty in economics, international affairs, law, political science, public health, social work, sociology, and statistics. Center researchers collaborate with multiple arms of the United Nations to encourage evidence-based interventions to prevent trafficking, support survivors, and strengthen prosecution of traffickers. With the center’s guidance, governments have passed and enforced anti-trafficking laws and helped NGOs and nonprofits remove victims from slavery-like conditions. CenHTRO has trained almost 4,000 individuals—including judiciary members, law enforcement, social workers, educators, students, and community groups—to improve local action against human trafficking.