The University of Iowa Council on Teaching has named five UI faculty members as the 2026 recipients of the Hubbard-Walder Award for Excellence in Teaching: Theresa Bechtel, Stella Elias, Elizabeth Heineman, Brian Lai, and Jan Steyn.

The award is given to up to five UI faculty who have demonstrated excellence in various areas of university teaching (undergraduate, graduate or professional, classroom, one-on-one) and have contributed to curriculum and/or program development. Each recipient has a minimum of six years’ teaching experience at Iowa and will receive a $1,000 honorarium.

Theresa Bechtel

Bechtel, associate professor of instruction in the College of Nursing, is recognized for her innovative and practice-focused approach to teaching. She teaches across undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and maintains an active clinical practice, bringing real-world experience into the classroom.

Bechtel is known for designing immersive, high-impact learning experiences that help students build clinical judgment, teamwork, and confidence. Her work in simulation includes a large-scale emergency preparedness scenario that challenges students to triage, coordinate care, and make rapid decisions in high-pressure, community-based situations.

She also leads the integration of a training version of the electronic health record into coursework and simulation, allowing students to practice documentation, medication administration, and clinical decision-making using the same system they will encounter in clinical settings.

Bechtel is committed to community-engaged nursing education and partners with local organizations to create meaningful learning experiences that connect students with the communities they serve. She advances teaching across the college through curriculum innovation and scholarship in nursing education.

Stella Elias

Elias, Professor and Bouma Family Fellow in Law, teaches first-year and upper-level courses in civil procedure, international law, immigration law, and comparative law, earning consistent praise from her students and colleagues. Drawing on her background as a dual citizen of the UK and the USA, Elias leads comparative law courses on the British legal system and English law and literature that anchor the College of Law’s London Law Program — which she has expanded into the largest study abroad program offered by an American law school. Elias teaches and mentors hundreds of Iowa Law students each year, playing a pivotal role in supporting international students in Iowa, and Iowan students studying around the globe.

Elizabeth Heineman

Heineman, co-director of the Jewish Studies Certificate and Professor of History and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), teaches a range of undergraduate and graduate courses that nurture civic belonging and the role of historical learning in maintaining a healthy liberal democracy.

She engages students with hands-on activities that promote participation, reflection, and dialogue and incorporates Havruta, a peer-led collaborative method that strengthens students’ interpretive and analytical skills, into her teaching.

Known for meeting students where they are, Heineman adapts complex material to different levels of prior knowledge, so newcomers feel welcomed and more advanced students remain challenged. She encourages open, respectful debate, creating an environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions and confronting difficult topics.

Heineman has expanded curricular offerings by developing the undergraduate Certificate in Human Rights and the undergraduate Certificate in Jewish Studies as well as establishing the Rapid Response History course, which brings together campus experts to help students make sense of current events. She is an active public scholar, presents at teaching conferences, serves on university committees, and has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students throughout her career.

Brian Lai

Lai, associate professor of political science in CLAS, developed the international relations studies major and the political risk analysis certificate, and founded the Iowa Conflict Analysis and Research Lab. Lai focuses on helping students build a rich understanding of international politics while strengthening skills in critical thinking, writing, and presentation. Former students have gone on to roles in Congress, the U.S. Department of Defense, and government relations.

Lai teaches at all levels — large introductory lectures, upper‑level and graduate seminars, experiential courses, and online classes. He emphasizes student‑driven questions and real‑world applications. In his Introduction to American Foreign Policy course, he uses the board game Risk and simulated foreign policy negotiations to help students understand theories of alliances, conflict, and decision‑making. 

Lai created experiential learning courses in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, and VoteSmart — giving students hands‑on experience with public institutions and professional skills. His commitment to student and teaching success extends to mentoring, alumni partnerships, and leading college‑ and university‑wide teaching initiatives. 

Jan Steyn

Steyn, associate professor of instruction in Translation and French, and director of the MFA in Literary Translation in CLAS, teaches a range of classes, from large undergraduate general education lecture and discussion courses to seminar-style graduate theory courses to intensive practice-driven undergraduate and MFA-level workshops.

His teaching touches topics like comparative stylistics, translation theory, global science fiction, French-speaking cultures, translation and society, and publishing. In his courses, through discussion, collaboration, creative projects, and formal writing, students learn to understand texts and develop skills for a range of professions. Steyn often focuses on students’ existing strengths in his teaching, drawing on the linguistic and cultural knowledge of heritage speakers and international students, for example, to show how translation shapes literature and cross-cultural exchange.

He has created and redesigned courses at all levels and, as an inaugural Provost AI Fellow at the university, he will introduce Language Work in the Age of AI as part of the new AI certificate. A leader in translation teaching, Steyn has facilitated workshops and presentations nationwide. He’s mentored students through 33 MFA theses and numerous competitive opportunities, including Stanley awards, Fulbright fellowships, Global South Translation Fellowships, PEN/Heim grants, and doctoral admissions.