Rachel Olson’s teaching blends authentic, community-engaged research and individualized mentorship to facilitate student access to transformative experiences. Dr. Olson nurtures student-initiated projects by providing research mentorship, grant support, and access to opportunities and resources, and cultivates students’ identities as emerging scientists and capable problem-solvers.

Anna Mosser is a dedicated teacher who is skilled at supporting new students in their early college courses. Thousands of students, ranging from biology majors to recent transfers adjusting to the Twin Cities campus, have benefited from Dr. Mosser’s student-centered course design and empathetic teaching style. She also shares her educational expertise through extensive institutional and national service.

Melissa Licht practices project-based pedagogy, flexibility, and inclusive ethics that guide students’ creative analysis in response to contemporary ecological and cultural challenges. Her community-engaged teaching builds thoughtful, active relationships between the University and the “real world,” fostering learning that transforms personal, academic, and professional trajectories.

Bonnie Klimes-Dougan is a deeply caring teacher and mentor, and a passionate advocate for science. Her commitment to undergraduate education over the past 25 years has facilitated familiarity with mental health conditions for thousands of students. She has helped hundreds of students to advance their research skills and worked with dozens of students to help them engage in global citizenry.

Jennifer Jones has taught, advised, and mentored thousands of undergraduate students from a variety of majors at UMD. As the sole archaeologist among the Anthropology faculty, she has been the touchstone for students interested in archaeology as well as physical and biological anthropology. Her efforts both in and out of the classroom have afforded students high-impact educational and practical experiences and guided many of them to meaningful careers.

Ryan Caverly creates novel instructional material tied to real-world problems, establishing in-depth practical projects and incorporating hands-on experiments to engage students. He mentors numerous undergraduate researchers each year, and many of these students have published their work in journal articles and national conference proceedings. A departmental summer program he created augments undergraduate research participation by funding undergraduate students to perform research with faculty and receive mentorship from graduate students.