Sierra N. Merkes has been selected to receive a ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ (๐๐ง๐) for the 2025โ2026 Academic Year.
Sierra N. Merkes has been selected to receive a ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ (๐๐ง๐) for the 2025โ2026 Academic Year. The COS Teaching Awards Committee recognized her innovative, data centered pedagogy and use of classroom simulations to promote effective student learning. Her contributions include the design of multiple new courses such as STAT 2094 Basics of R for Statistics and STAT/CMDA 3274 Introduction to Sports Analytics Research as well as widely adopted instructional materials that have strengthened curriculum across programs. Student feedback consistently highlights her clarity, inclusivity, and lasting impact, an exceptional achievement early in her career.
Congratulations to Sierra on this well deserved recognition. ๐