The 2026 Evening of Scholarship, hosted by the UNC Academy of Educators (AOE) on June 4, 2026, was a celebration of excellence in medical education. The event brought together faculty, residents, students, and educational leaders to recognize outstanding contributions to teaching, mentorship, scholarship, and educational innovation across the UNC School of Medicine.
The Academy of Educators proudly recognized an exceptional group of educators and scholars whose dedication continues to shape the future of medical education at UNC and beyond.
Award Winners
Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Education
- Tom Belhorn, Pediatrics
Foundation Phase Teaching Excellence Awards
- Laura Cannon, Pediatrics
- Erin Malloy, Psychiatry
- Surabhi Kasera, Psychiatry
Application/Individualization Phase Clinical Preceptor Excellence in Teaching Award (Regional Campus Faculty)
- Sumner Mitchell, Asheville, MAHEC Department of Emergency Medicine
- Angela Barrier, Novant Charlotte, Pediatrics
- Carrie Dow-Smith, WakeMed Pediatrics
- Maggie Hall, Greensboro Cone Health, Pediatrics
- Joseph (Rich) Dowd, Novant Wilmington, Emergency Medicine
Educational Mentor/Advisor Award
- Andrew Smitherman, Pediatrics
- Joshua Garcia, Medicine
Innovation in Teaching Award
- Tamara Strohm, Neurology
Faculty Teaching Resident/Fellow Award
- Paul Zimmerman, Medicine
Resident Educator Award
- Tacora Lemelle, Pediatrics
High-Value Care Award
- Zach Willis, Pediatrics
Scholarship Award
- Katherine “Katie” Jordan, Pediatrics
Junior Faculty Award
- Nikea Pittman, Biochemistry & Biophysics
Senior Faculty Award
- Afsaneh Pirzadeh, Pediatrics
Medical Alumni Distinguished Professorship
- Animesh Jain, Medicine
- Karina Whelan, Medicine
- Eric Zwemer, Pediatrics
Craver Medical Student Teaching Award
- William Mills, Pediatrics
Department of Health Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award
- Terra Rose, Health Sciences
Kathleen Rao Grant Recipients
Achieving Competency in Crisis Management for UNC Medical Students
Stephen Tilley, MD; Jessica Fuller, MD; and Sofia Aliaga, MD, MPH, FFAP
How Senior Pediatric Residents Decide to Seek Supervisory Support: A Qualitative Study
Paige Lester, MD, and Ashlie Tseng, MD, MEd
Investigating How Career Motivation Informs Pathways in Biomedical and Medical Education
Nikea Pittman, PhD; Rebekah Layton, PhD; Fei Chen, PhD, MEd; and Luke Barron, MSLS
Poster Session Winners
Can AI Grade Like a Professor? Comparing Artificial Intelligence and Faculty Scoring of Medical Student Short-Answer Clinical Reasoning Exams
Arvind Rajan, MPH; Seth McKenzie Alexander, MD, EdM; and Christina L. Shenvi, MD, PhD, MBA
Uncertainty Tolerance, Risk Perception, and Clinical Reasoning in Pediatric Care
Dena Lowing, MD; Marcella Boynton, PhD; Neal DeJong, MD, MPH; Lindsay Chase, MD; and Wade Harrison, MD, MPH
Congratulations to all the honorees, grant recipients, and presenters whose work continues to advance educational excellence and improve the learning experience for future healthcare professionals.
View Event Photos
Photos from the 2026 Evening of Scholarship are available here:
https://brianstrickland.zenfolio.com/p299204159
Watch the Event Recording
Missed the event or want to revisit the celebration? Watch the full recording:
https://uncch.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=9211dbef-f333-4214-ad3f-b46000d43e71
Stay Connected with the Academy of Educators
Visit the Academy of Educators website to learn more about upcoming programs and opportunities:
https://www.med.unc.edu/aoe
Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay informed about upcoming program application cycles, including:
You’ll also receive updates on the fall call for new AOE members, the Frank C. Wilson Professionalism Forum, and other AOE programming throughout the year.
Save the Date
Mark your calendars now for the 2027 Evening of Scholarship, taking place on Thursday, June 3, 2027.
We look forward to celebrating another year of educational excellence with our UNC medical education community.