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.
Erin Hardin
Erin Hardin, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Psychology, came to UT in 2013 after spending 10 years on the faculty at Texas Tech University. Hardin has received numerous teaching awards, including a national award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and she was among the top tier of national nominees for Baylor University’s prestigious Robert F. Cherry Award. A widely published scholar, she is currently principal investigator or co-principal investigator on three interdisciplinary teams funded through federal grants: one providing career programming for students in rural Appalachian high schools; one supporting low-income rural Appalachian students in Tennessee who are pursuing an arts and sciences STEM degree, and researching factors that support their retention and success; and one working to reduce disparities in the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of women faculty in STEM disciplines.
What does this award mean to you?
This award means that the University of Tennessee values undergraduate teaching. This award means faculty don’t have to choose between being a productive researcher or an excellent teacher. This is a place where we can be both, and many of us are.