Ahmed recognized with faculty award for teaching excellence

Dr. Sameer Ahmed, assistant professor in the School of Businessat the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is being honored with the 2024 Early Career Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. The Early Career Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence recognizes a tenure-track faculty member who has made distinguished contributions to the mission of the university as an outstanding teacher.

Ahmed said that being the recipient of this award is an incredible honor, deeply gratifying and a significant milestone in his academic career, which fills him with a mix of pride, humility and enthusiasm for the future of his teaching journey. He added that receiving the award opens up new opportunities for collaboration, research and leadership in the field of human resource management.

"It is a powerful affirmation of my dedication to teaching and my impact on student learning experiences," said Ahmed. "This recognition inspires me to continue innovating my teaching methods and pushing the boundaries of education excellence. The award brings me a renewed sense of duty to maintain high standards and serve as a role model for other early-career faculty."

Ahmed, who also recently received the Thomas and Lee Ann Lindahl Teaching Excellence Award, said his teaching style aims to create a dynamic, inclusive and professional learning environment that prepares students for success in their future careers in human resource management and beyond.

Dr. Caryn Stanley, who nominated Ahmed, credits him with taking the initiative to align the HR curriculum with SHRM standards to make it easier and more affordable for School of Business graduates to earn professional HR credentials.

"I can honestly say that Dr. Ahmed is the primary reason why I feel confident in my journey to succeed in a career in human resources," said Abby Klueckmann, a recent HR management graduate. "Dr. Ahmed is the type of professor who allows you to think and learn in different ways. He is someone that students can feel comfortable talking to and is a lifelong connection. Even 10 years from now, I am confident that I can approach him for his opinion. He is not only a professor but a mentor whom students look up to, is always available to support struggling students and will go above and beyond to assist us."

Utilizing experiential learning and various high-impact practices, Ahmed creates a continuous loop of knowledge acquisition, practice and performance. His 20-plus years of experience in both industry and academia enable him to bridge the gap between educational theory and practical application.

"Dr. Sameer Ahmed has made a huge impact on my learning and time here at UW Platteville," said Evie Larsen, a recent HR management graduate. "Dr. Ahmed's teaching pedagogy encourages participation, critical thinking, discussions and experiential learning. His years of experience in the corporate world combined with his educational background provide me with a great deal of knowledge to learn from. He brings real-life scenarios to the classroom to enhance learning and understanding."

Ahmed's approach emphasizes practical applications through projects, simulations and case studies to prepare students for the workforce. He also encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities and professional development opportunities to enhance their technical and soft skills. "I employ diverse high-impact practices, including project-based learning, written, audio and video case study analyses, simulation, roleplaying, gamification, problem-solving and inquiry-based learning to maintain student engagement," said Ahmed, who incorporates research-led, research-oriented and research-based teaching approaches to develop students' critical thinking and inquiry skills.

"Dr. Ahmed's teaching style is one that allows students to truly grasp the given material through discussions, activities and questions throughout the lesson," said Cody Post, a recent UW-Platteville graduate. "The best thing about Dr. Ahmed's teaching style is his ability to allow students to have hands-on experiences with the material that he is teaching."

Ahmed said the most fulfilling aspect of his role is witnessing students' professional and personal growth, knowing that he has played a part in equipping them with the skills necessary for success in their chosen careers.

By leveraging his industry experience and implementing a variety of teaching methods, Ahmed bridges the gap between educational theory and practical application, fostering students' critical thinking skills and keeping them engaged.

Ahmed says he is grateful for the support of his colleagues, the enthusiasm of his students and the opportunities provided by UW-Platteville to push the boundaries of educational excellence.

Ahmed was recognized at the university's annual faculty and staff convocation on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

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