The American Anthropological Association (AAA) and Oxford University Press have named human osteology and bioarchaeology expert Debra L. Martin, Ph.D. as the recipient of the 2015 AAA/Oxford Teaching Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology.
Dr. Martin’s teaching efforts have made an indelible impact in classrooms across the country where her hands-on, supportive-yet-challenging approach inspires students regularly. She has created programs at numerous institutions that have gotten students into the field where they’ve learned to apply anthropological concepts, approaches and questions outside of the “Ivory Tower.”
Dr. Martin conducts research in the areas of nonlethal violence and inequality, gender differences and paleopathology, and the bioarchaeology of the human experience with a focus on groups living in risky and challenging desert environments. Students in Dr. Martin’s class can expect to be reminded that exploring topics like violence, inequality, and violence against women is a complex and necessary endeavor.
The Undergraduate Teaching Award was established in 1997 to recognize teachers who have contributed to and encouraged the study of anthropology. The successful teaching of anthropology is at the core of producing successful anthropologists. By transferring knowledge and encouraging interest and study, the teacher contributes significantly to the increasing success of the field of anthropology. Without such people the growth of anthropology would be stifled.
Dr. Martin will be honored in an award ceremony at the 114th AAA Annual Meeting on November 19, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The AAA Annual Meeting is a gathering of more than 6,000 anthropologists who will shed light on some of the world’s most pressing issues, including: public health, racial tension, the Middle East, social change and climate change.
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Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association, with more than 10,000 members, is the world’s largest professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and tackling the world’s most pressing problems.
