UNC professor Alice Ammerman accepted the Thomas Jefferson Award with a "Hamilton: An American Musical" inspired rap at Friday's Faculty Council meeting.
The Thomas Jefferson Award has been granted to one faculty member each year since 1961. The selection is made based on nominations by fellow faculty to the "member of the academic community who through personal influence and performance of duty in teaching, writing, and scholarship has best exemplified the ideals and objectives of Thomas Jefferson,” according to the award description.
Ammerman, professor in the Department of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Public Health and the School of Medicine, said the award holds more complexity now than in previous years.
“It's complicated because with all that's going on now with Thomas Jefferson's reputation, but at the same time he did amazing things for our country, and so I don't think we can ignore that,” Ammerman said.
Among past recipients, Ammerman most respects former Chancellor William Aycock, Gene Nichol and Joseph Templeton.
“What's most meaningful to me is seeing the ones who have gone before me and got the award," she said. "They are people that I respect, and I value the work they've done so I feel very humbled and honored in that regard to be now among the recipients."
For Ammerman’s own colleagues, the award selection came as no surprise.
“Alice has the capacity, in her quiet way, to focus and motivate those around her to strive for excellence, with a clear and constant focus on improving the health of the population, especially for those living in under-resourced settings,” said Nutrition Professor Elizabeth Mayer-Davis as she presented the award. “She is courageous and determined, not afraid to stand up for what is important.”
In addition to teaching a nutrition and policy seminar, and a public health entrepreneurship course, Ammerman conducts research on health disparity and chronic disease prevention while working with low-income, minority patients.