Amber Anderson, associate teaching professor of agronomy, is the recipient of the term faculty 2026 Early Achievement in Teaching Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Her teaching portfolio in soil science and sustainable agriculture is diverse – ranging from introductory courses to specialized topics, large lecture halls to smaller classrooms, and on-campus teaching to online teaching. Anderson is also a field course instructor, a study abroad leader and the soil judging team coach.
For Anderson, essential aspects to teaching are finding better ways to engage students in the classroom and removing barriers to learning. She incorporates active learning activities in her courses, even in those that have historically been primarily lecture based. She has developed two online open access textbooks, eliminating the financial barrier of purchasing a textbook. Anderson also designs her course materials, assignments and activities with accessibility in mind. This allows students with barriers to learning, diagnosed or not, to successfully access course material.
“Her excellence is independent of the course, style of teaching required, subject matter and demographics,” stated a colleague. “…a testament to her commitment to ensuring Iowa State continues to be recognized as an undergraduate-friendly research university.”