• Awards
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• Graduate Students

May 11, 2018

ARE Ph.D. students Anubhab Gupta and Joakim Weill have been named recipients of the UC Davis Graduate Studies’ Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award for the 2017-18 academic year.

“This is a tremendously important award as it honors outstanding graduate students, reminds the campus that teaching is a central part of the university’s mission, and can inspire students and professors to give increased attention to the educational process,” according to the graduate studies website.

Awarded to 8–10 graduate students per year, it includes a $500 prize. The nomination process includes initial recommendation from a member of the campus community, a faculty member’s letter of support, and the nominee’s teaching philosophy statement. A committee of faculty and graduate students reviews all nominations and selects award recipients. The awards will be presented during a ceremony on May 23.

Anubhab Gupta, Ph.D. expected in 2019
Teaching Assistant In: ARE 204B Microeconomic Analysis II (Winter 2017), ARE 106 Econometric Theory and Applications (Spring 2017), and ARE 115A Economic Development (Fall 2017)
Nominated By: ARE Professor Travis Lybbert and several undergraduate students of 106 and 115A with letters of support from ARE Professor and Vice Chair J. Edward Taylor, ARE Professor Richard Sexton, and Lybbert

“Teaching gives me the opportunity to inspire students to learn, be empathetic, and bring forth innovative solutions,” Gupta said of what he enjoys about instructing. “I would like to see students grow in their ability to explore multiple viewpoints and methods of understanding, as well as extend their imagination and critical reasoning skills.”

Considering this award a significant achievement in his young teaching career, Gupta appreciates ARE support.

“I am grateful to my teachers who exuded enthusiasm for teaching and my fellow TA/AIs (Teaching Assistants/Associates In) in ARE who passionately teach our large undergraduate community,” he said.

Joakim Weill, Ph.D. student
Teaching Assistant In: ARE 143 Investments (Spring 2017) and ARE 204A Microeconomic Analysis I (Fall 2017)
Nominated By: Multiple ARE Ph.D. and M.S. students with a letter of support from ARE Professor Pierre Mérel

“I absolutely love showing students that any concept taught in class, however daunting at first sight, can be understood if properly explained and carefully studied,” Weill said of what he enjoys about teaching. “Sitting in class and not understanding what is going on is quite stressful, but finally understanding a difficult topic is fantastic. When students work hard to get there, I like to help as much as I can with the learning process.”

Weill said being a TA for Professor Mérel and Lecturer John Constantine this academic year was very beneficial, adding they’re both “extremely devoted to their classes and students.”

Further joys of teaching for Weill include benefits received from students’ questions, “especially questions about fundamentals of economic theory that we are taught to take for granted,” he said. “It leads me to investigate more the history of the various concepts and tools, and why, in terms of economic theory, we are willingly wearing blinders.”

Weill is honored and “super happy” to win the award.

“It was very kind of the students to nominate me, and I’m very lucky to have worked with them,” he added.

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