[Sci-tech-public] STS Siegel Teaching Prize [2024-2025]

[J. Eden Medina]

Dear all,

It is my great pleasure to share the news that Zachary La Rock is the 2024-2025 Siegel Teaching Prize winner. The Siegel Teaching Prize was established 19 years ago to recognize HASTS graduate students who have excelled in their commitment to and performance in MIT’s undergraduate teaching program.

The prize committee, William Deringer, Michael John Gorman, Chakanetsa Mavhunga, and Eli Nelson, prepared the following prize citation:

We are pleased to present the Siegel Teaching Prize to Zachary La Rock, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to 21A.00: Introduction to Anthropology, taught by Michaela Thompson. Zach distinguished himself as a dedicated and innovative educator, bringing both creativity and rigor to his teaching. His thoughtful suggestions for class activities and assignments enriched the course design, and his guest lecture on Environment and Culture was both seamlessly connected to the overarching themes and enthusiastically received by students.

Beyond his formal teaching contributions, Zach played an active role in cultivating student engagement with anthropological concepts and readings. His guidance on final ethnographic projects proved invaluable, challenging students to move beyond surface-level analysis and encouraging them to ground their work in deeper theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Through his energy, insight, and care, Zach has already demonstrated the qualities of an exceptional teacher, and the HASTS program can be proud to have him as its representative.

Please join me in congratulating Zach for this wonderful and much deserved honor. I would also like to recognize and thank Will, Michael John, Chakanetsa, Eli for serving on the prize committee.

Best wishes,

Eden

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Eden Medina
Head, Program in Science, Technology, and Society
Professor of Science, Technology, and Society
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
eden at mit.edu<mailto:eden at mit.edu>
https://news.mit.edu/2023/designing-revolution-1002

Recent Scholarship:
How to Design a Revolution: The Chilean Road to Design<https://www.lars-mueller-publishers.com/how-design-revolution?srsltid=AfmBOop9hqTkBtVVBuRJNnScal8Hre1JmMbZnGN8Syi64YC2XdVKIQ5m> (Lars Müller Publishers)
“Knowledge and Ignorance in Forensic Identification: The Origins of a Contested Human Rights Fact<https://edenmedina.mit.edu/news/new-article-knowledge-and-ignorance-in-forensic-identification-the-origins-of-a-contested-human-rights-fact/>,” Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology and Society





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