This award, sponsored by the SOT Endowment, recognizes an SOT member who is distinguished by outstanding contributions to the teaching of undergraduate students in toxicology and toxicology-related areas and whose efforts support the Society’s strategic efforts to “build for the future of toxicology.”
Hollie I. Swanson, PhD, is awarded the 2024 SOT Undergraduate Educator Award for her significant contributions to the introduction and instruction of toxicological topics to undergraduate students.
An active pursuer of extramural funding for undergraduate education in toxicology, Dr. Swanson’s impact on undergraduates goes beyond the classroom. Since 2016, she has served as the principal investigator for a National Institutes of Health R25 training grant that supports a program entitled, “Summer Undergraduate Research in Environmental Health Science.” Successfully renewed through 2027, this program has supported 84 undergraduate students in a 10-week summer program that introduces them to lab-based research and significant professional development in the health sciences. An additional grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute awarded to colleagues at the University of Kentucky was used to develop a program focused on first-year undergraduates, helping Dr. Swanson introduce toxicological and scientific concepts in an engaging and interactive manner, helping increase retention and interest in the STEM fields.
Within the University of Kentucky, Dr. Swanson is the Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees and serves on the Coalition of Faculty Senate Leadership a faculty advisory board of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. These roles allow her to address high-level challenges in undergraduate education.
As an educator, Dr. Swanson teaches a multitude of undergraduate courses on toxicology, exposing undergraduates to key concepts in a variety of disciplines. Equally as important, Dr. Swanson is a frequent publisher and presenter on classroom pedagogy, sharing her knowledge and experience in papers and conferences at national scientific meetings.
Dr. Swanson earned her doctorate in food science/toxicology from Purdue University in 1991 and has been an active member of SOT since then. She has been a member of the SOT Research Funding Committee, the K–12 Subcommittee, and the Scientific Program Committee. Additionally, Dr. Swanson is a contributor within the SOT Undergraduate Educator Network and Undergraduate Diversity Program—longstanding SOT activities that provide resources and exposure to toxicology for undergraduate educators and students alike!
In light of her profound impact on undergraduate students and undergraduate educators and her leadership in undergraduate education, Dr. Swanson is awarded the 2024 SOT Undergraduate Educator Award.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog about the awardee(s) is based on the nomination materials provided. This citation is being shared under the Award Committee Chair’s name as part of their official duties and should not be interpreted as their personal or professional opinions.