Earth scientists score double win in Teacher Awards

According to the panel of judges led by Gery Nijenhuis, Director of Education for the Social Geography and Planning programme, Lennart de Groot knows how to get his students excited about the subject. The associate professor is described as a talented storyteller with a great sense of humour, to the point he ‘can even make Math fun’.

De Groot's research includes the geomagnetic field in the former gunpowder storage at Fort Hoofddijk, in the Botanical Gardens. His students say they appreciate his motivation and approachable attitude. They feel that De Groot's openness about his own failings and doubts contributes to a pleasant atmosphere in the classroom.

The two other contenders for the Teacher Award in 2025 were Daantje Meuwissen (Art History) and Chris Paffen (Psychology).

Lennart de Groot just received prize Teacher Award 2025. Next to him are nominees Daantje Meuwissen and Chris Paffen. Photo DUB

Full of energy
The prize for the best teaching talent at Utrecht University, intended for teachers with less than five years of experience, went to a close colleague of De Groot's. The judges spoke with admiration about all that Alissa Kotowski does in the two days a week she is able to dedicate to teaching.

The assistant professor is described as an educational innovator who is not afraid to challenge old habits. For example, she has ensured that virtual and interactive fieldwork is also accessible to students who are unable to participate in class.

Students praise Kotowski as an energetic personality who pays extra attention to students who need it.

Rabia Bacaksiz (Psychology) and Vera Cup (Interdisciplinary Social Science) were also nominated for the award.

Announcing the prize best teaching talent Alissa Kotowski (right) with next to her the nominees Rabia Bacaksiz and Vera Cup Photo DUB

Most nominations
The judges assessed the nominees on their educational vision, their role within the programme and their interaction with the students. The two winners, which had also been chosen as the best teachers of the Faculty of Geosciences last year, were nominated by the UAV study association.

The winner of the Teacher Prize receives a trophy and a cash prize of 5,000 euros. The winner of the Teacher Talent award gets 3,000 euros. As for the study associations that nominate the winning teachers, they receive 1,000 euros each.

This year marks the thirtieth time that UU awards the Teacher Prize. The prize for Teaching Talent is five years younger. This year, study associations nominated 29 teachers for the prizes.

Aside from UAV, Alcmaeon, the study association for Psychology, also had two nominees running for this year's prize. DUB showed yesterday that Alcmaeon could become the most successful study association in the history of the Teacher Award if one of their nominated teachers had won a prize. The association now has the same number of wins as the Biology study association, UBV.

The Summer School Digital Art History team received the award from teacher team. Photo DUB

Scanning the ceiling of Grote Kerk in Naarden
Apart from the two prizes mentioned above, another one was awarded to a team of teachers who stood out this year. This prize was introduced three years ago to encourage teamwork in academic education.

The cash prize of 10,000 euros goes to the team behind the Summer School on Digital Art History. Teachers and students spent one week last summer doing intensive research on the restoration of the ceiling vault of thee Grote Kerk church in Naarden. This work included a 3D scan of the painting on the ceiling, an initiative that attracted a lot of media attention.

Two other teams were nominated as well. The Extramural Veterinary Education team ensures that students gain more insight into a veterinarian’s social role. The other nominee, the Global Justice Investigations Lab, teaches students how to counter disinformation, among other things.