Amy Struthers, associate professor of advertising and public relations, received the 2011 College Distinguished Teaching Award during the University of Nebraska—Lincoln honors convocation April 10. The recognition is for her "outstanding teaching ability and dedication to student learning."
Struthers past honors include being named educator of year by American Advertising Federation in 2010; selected as a scholar in the AAF's Educational Foundation Visiting Professor Program in 2006; received UNL Parents Association and UNL Teaching Council-sponsored certificates of recognition for contributions to students in 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006; and received the college's Outstanding Faculty Service Award in 2005.
Struthers serves as adviser of the student chapter of the American Advertising Federation, UNL Ad Club and the student team for the National Student Advertising Competition.
Struthers' research agenda includes work in public health messaging, particularly to teen audiences. She is part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers working on a $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) called The World of Viruses and a $1.8 million grant titled The Omaha Science Media Project that tests the hypothesis that high school students can learn science better by utilizing a journalistic approach. She is the Archrival Faculty Fellow for Trend Research and directs undergraduate and graduate students in the study of the social phenomenon of trends.
Amy Struthers