The Alexander Prize is named for former UT president and now US Senator Lamar Alexander and his wife, Honey. It recognizes superior teaching and distinguished scholarship.
Marianne Wanamaker
Marianne Wanamaker, associate professor of economics; National Bureau of Economic Research research associate; Kinney Family Faculty Fellow; Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research Fellow; and BB&T Scholar in Markets, Capitalism, and Ethics, is described by colleagues as a world-class researcher and an exceptional undergraduate teacher. She has advised countless theses and led many international study abroad experiences with undergraduate students. She has been awarded the Alumni Outstanding Teacher award, the Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher award, and the Outstanding MBA Faculty award for the consistent care she shows her students. Wanamaker recently completed a term in Washington, DC, where she served as chief domestic economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. Her research has been published in the top journals in her field and carries great societal significance—for example, her research on health issues surrounding the Tuskegee Airmen and longitudinal studies of life quality issues for black men reflect a deep thoughtfulness on issues that matter not only to economists but also to society at large.