Hobbs and Sills win 2011 Outstanding Global Engagement Awards
The NC State University Office of International Affairs and International Operations Council are pleased to announce the winners of the first Outstanding Global Engagement Awards: Dr. Heidi Hobbs and Dr. Erin Sills. The awards were presented at the 1st Annual International Engagement Expo on April 26th and with over twenty presentations, Hobbs and Sills exemplified the university’s commitment to excellence in globally-focused research and scholarship. For standing out among a widely successful and diverse group of nominees, they each will each receive a 500 dollar travel grant to continue their efforts in making NC State “globally engaged.”
Dr. Heidi Hobbs, Director of NC State’s Master of International Studies program and Director of CHASS international programs, was honored for her contributions to global engagement on behalf the university. Hobbs has been instrumental in developing several international programs, including a study abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic as well as a dual masters program in Surrey, United Kingdom, and developing a Master of Development Practice program with TERI University in India. Her poster, “Crossing Boundaries: International Studies for the 21st Century,” reflects the topic of her upcoming textbook on international studies.
Dr. Erin Sills, Associate Professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources, was likewise recognized for her international work, including research on the welfare impacts of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) across five countries, modeling the impact of iron ore mines on tribal livelihoods in Orissa, India and examining the relationship between poverty and deforestation across the Brazilian Amazon. Sills, who incorporates global viewpoints into all aspects of her curriculum, has done extensive environmental work in Costa Rica, Brazil and Indonesia and has taken students to countries such as Ghana, Chile, and Mexico.
The recipients will use their reward earnings to create even more opportunities for the university as it continues to play a major part on the world stage. With the success of the 1st Annual International Engagement Expo and the caliber of nominees for the first Outstanding Global Engagement Awards, the Office of International Affairs and International Operations Council look forward to recognizing many more outstanding contributions to global engagement by the faculty and staff of NC State for years to come.
