Dr Ariell Ahearn and Dr Natasha Wallum win Teaching Excellence Awards
The University of Oxford Social Sciences Division's annual Teaching Excellence Awards recognise outstanding contributions to teaching and learning and the academic development of students.
Dr Ariell Ahearn
Dr Ariell Ahearn (right) has been recognised for her excellence in teaching and her significant contribution to programme leadership within the School of Geography and the Environment. Her practice demonstrates breadth, coherence, and a sustained commitment to developing high‑quality learning experiences for students.
Dr Ahearn brings a reflective and developmental approach to teaching, drawing on experience from different institutional contexts and adapting this effectively to the Oxford setting. She contributes across a wide range of teaching activities and plays an active role in shaping programme‑level provision. Her teaching is carefully designed, academically rigorous, and strongly student‑focused, supporting learning through clear expectations, structured guidance, and thoughtful curriculum design. Alongside her teaching, her leadership in programme development strengthens the overall coherence and quality of provision within the School.
Dr Natasha Wallum
Dr Natasha Wallum (left) has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to teaching at an early stage of her academic career. Since beginning her role as Departmental Lecturer in the School of Geography and the Environment in 2024, she has established an extensive teaching portfolio across undergraduate and graduate levels, including core and option papers, field courses, supervision, and college tutoring.
Dr Wallum’s teaching is distinguished by its clarity, innovation, and strong focus on active student learning. She has led significant curriculum development, integrating contemporary research and methodological approaches in geomorphology, GIS, and remote sensing. Her field teaching is especially notable for the design of inventive, student-led projects that place undergraduates in the role of researchers from an early stage in their degree. Students consistently praise her device-free tutorials and creative approaches to teaching complex concepts, highlighting her ability to encourage critical discussion, challenge assumptions, and foster confidence in independent thinking. The panel recognised Dr Wallum as an exceptional early-career teacher whose distinctive approach is already having a significant impact on student learning and experience.
Dr Ariell Ahearn and Dr Natasha Wallum win Teaching Excellence Awards
The University of Oxford Social Sciences Division's annual Teaching Excellence Awards recognise outstanding contributions to teaching and learning and the academic development of students.
