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Education Awards

Emerging Educator Award


This award recognizes an emerging health science educator who demonstrates excellence, dedication, and perseverance in teaching and education early in their career. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for at least one year, but no more than five years.

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2023-2024

Dalton Nelsen, MD

2022-2023

Jordan Rowley, PhD

2021-2022

Jasmine Marcelin, MD

Excellence in Educational Service Award

The award recognizes a UNMC volunteer, emeritus or adjunct faculty member who exemplifies the spirit of outstanding teaching and whose contributions are significant and lasting to the advancement of health care learners, health care education or health care professions. Qualified candidates must be UNMC volunteers, adjunct, or emeritus faculty for two years or more. (This was previously known as the Valor in Educational Service award.)

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2023-2024

Kathleen “Kate” Scott, DNP

2022-2023

Renee Engler, MD

2021-2022

Matthew Brooks, DMA

2018-2019

James R. Newland, MD

2017-2018

Robert T. Binhammer, PhD

2016-2017

Alan T. Richards, MD, FACS

Innovative Practices in Education Award

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates ingenuity, courage, and creativity in teaching, including innovative use of educational technology, experiential learning, adoption of simulation, and/or creative use of the classroom. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for two years or more.

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2023-2024

Amy Cannella, MD

2022-2023

Michael Smith, MD

2021-2022

Abbey Fingeret, MD

2020-2021

Jason Langenfeld, MD

2019-2020

Kristen Cook, PharmD, BCPS

2018-2019

Danish Bhatti, MD

2017-2018

Tanya Custer, MS, RT(R)(T)
Kim Michael, MA, RT(R), RDMS, RVT, FSDMS

2016-2017

Paul M. Paulman, MD

Inspirational Mentor of Educators Award

This award recognizes an individual with a consistent track record of fostering future educators who has also mentored and sponsored junior faculty or trainees in teaching and educational excellence at the local, regional, or national level. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for five years or more.

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2023-2024

Elizabeth Harlow, MD

2022-2023

Jasmine Marcelin, MD

2021-2022

Bunny Pozehl, PhD

2020-2021

Linda Love, EdD

2019-2020

Lois J. Starr, MD, PhD, FAAP, FACMG

2018-2019

Shannon Boerner, MD, FACP

2017-2018

Shantaram S. Joshi, PhD

2016-2017

Shelby Kutty, MD, PhD, MHCM

Interprofessional Education Scholar Award

This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to interprofessional education locally, regionally, or nationally. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for two years or more.

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2023-2024

Teresa Cochran, DPT

2021-2022

Nada Fadul, MD

2020-2021

William Henry Hay, MD

2019-2020

Claudia Chaperon, PhD, APRN, GNP-BC

2018-2019

Elizabeth L. Beam, PhD, RN

2017-2018

Cynthia Ellis, MD, FAAP

2016-2017

Devin Nickol, MD

Scholar in Research Education Award

The award recognizes an individual who has advanced the science of teaching and learning through research of educational pedagogy. This includes receiving funding for original research in the areas of teaching/learning strategies, learning outcomes, and best practices in education. Significant contributions are demonstrated through peer reviewed publications, grants, and participation on the local, regional, or national level in developing educational scholarship. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for two years or more. (This was previously known as the Research in Education Scholar award.)

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2023-2024

Sue Schuelke, PhD

2022-2023

Elizabeth Beam, PhD

2019-2020

Ka-Chun “Joseph” Siu, PhD

2018-2019

Kendra K. Schmid, PhD, MA

2017-2018

Paul J. Schenarts, MD, FACS

2016-2017

Gary L. Beck Dallaghan, PhD

Varner Educator Laureate Award

The Varner Educator Laureate Award is the highest recognition given by UNMC to its educators. This award was established by Jerald Varner, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who had more than 50 years of experience in education.

Dr. Varner’s passion for inter-professional education, paired with his interest in the intersection between biology, medicine, and engineering, inspired his decision to endow the Varner Educator Laureate award. The candidate must be a member of the UNMC faculty for five years or more with sustained achievement in education, including significant improvement to the UNMC learning environment through providing outstanding educational experiences. The recipient is selected by the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

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2023-2024

Allison Cushman-Vokoun, MD, PhD

2022-2023

Maurice Godfrey, PhD

2021-2022

Justin Mott, MD, PhD

2020-2021

Geoffrey Talmon, MD

2019-2020

Amy Duhachek-Stapelman, MD

2018-2019

Paul M. Paulman, MD
James R. O'Dell, MD, MACP, MACR

2017-2018

Karen Honeycutt, MEd, MASCP, MLS(ASCP)CMSMCM

2016-2017

David V. O'Dell, MD, FACP

Visionary Leadership in Education Award

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated the ability to skillfully establish or administer an educational initiative or role at UNMC or a national organization. Qualified candidates must be members of the UNMC faculty for two years or more.

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2023-2024

Jennifer Adams, MD

2022-2023

Diego Torres-Russotto, MD

2021-2022

Tanya Custer, MS, RT(R)(T)

2020-2021

Teresa Barry Hultquist, PhD

2019-2020

Pamela K. Carmines, PhD

2018-2019

Paul M. Paulman, MD
Karen Gould, PhD

2017-2018

Lynnette Leeseberg Stamler, PhD, DLitt, RN, FAAN

2016-2017

Maurice Godfrey, PhD