Professor Tammy Stephenson, a full-time lecturer for the Nutrition and Food Science department, has been named the recipient of two awards: the 2009 NACTA Teacher Fellow award and the UK Faculty Mentor award.
NACTA, or the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, advances teaching and learning in the fields of agricultural, environmental, natural, and life sciences. One of the central purposes of NACTA is to recognize individuals whose efforts represent the best in agricultural higher education. The NACTA Teacher Fellow Award, which Dr. Stephenson will receive in June at the 55th Annual NACTA/SERD conference, is criterion-based and selected by a committee of NACTA members.
Dr. Stephenson has also been awarded the Faculty Mentor Award. This honor is presented at the Showcase of Undergraduate Scholarship, which is held each April at UK and sponsored by eUreKa! (Experiences in Undergraduate Research and Kreative Activities). Students nominate their favorite research mentor and write a short essay on why their choice should win. The Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) then considers the essays, along with the nominee's contributions to their field and how they have personally helped students with their educational career, before choosing the winner.
Dr. Stephenson teaches a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate level nutrition and food science courses. She is an advisor for Human Nutrition and Dietetic majors and the faculty advisor for the Student Dietetic Association. Her research focus is on the health effects of soy foods, and she is interested in developing innovative teaching materials to enhance student learning.
Dr. Stephenson is a member of the American Dietetic Association, American College of Nutrition, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, and the North American Colleges & Teachers of Agriculture. In 2008, she received the College of Agriculture Student Council Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award.