Awards

Lieber Memorial Associate Instructor Award (2020)

About Eric L. Wright

Because of his abilities to develop critical thinking skills among his students and to empower fellow graduate instructors, Eric Wright is an exceptional teacher. A Ph.D. candidate and graduate instructor in the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, Wright has served as the instructor of record for 13 terms with wide-ranging class sizes.

Sensitive to issues of diversity, Wright is cognizant that his students approach course material differently based on their background. Wright employs a variety of pedagogical approaches, works individually with students to facilitate deeper understanding of complex sociological concepts, and assists students in actualizing the various frameworks covered in class in the real world. It is this penchant for passion and thoughtfulness that often leaves his students with a new perspective and appreciation for sociology.

Wright invests in his fellow graduate instructors' success by encouraging confidence and creativity in the classroom. The Preparing Future Faculty Conference, led by Wright as the Preparing Future Faculty fellow in 2016, provided over 200 IU graduate students with information about preparing for their future academic careers and encouraged discussions on current challenges facing higher education. At this conference Wright himself presented on the best practices on teaching undergraduate sociology.