Willamette University Professor of Environmental Science and Archaeology Scott Pike has been awarded the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award by the Archaeological Institute of America, one of the field’s highest teaching honors.
The prize is awarded to only one individual each year and honors those who have demonstrated excellence in the teaching of archaeology and developed innovative and inclusive teaching methods.
Since arriving at Willamette in 2005, Pike has built a reputation for providing high-impact research and learning opportunities for students. His mentorship and teaching has taken students around the world. Pike forged a unique partnership with the Ness of Brodgar, a 5,000-year old Neolithic site in Orkeney, Scotland, that has helped further understanding of prehistoric Britain. Willamette University is the only American school to work with the internationally-recognized site. He has also involved students in his groundbreaking research in Greece, using aerial drones to study archaeological sites and landscapes.
Pike’s teaching — whether on-site in Europe, in the classroom at Willamette, or around the city of Salem — has inspired countless students to pursue careers in Archaeology and beyond.
“The excavation at Ness of Brodgar with Professor of Environmental Science and Archaeology Scott Pike shaped the direction of my research, without a doubt,” said Alex Casteel BA’17, now a PhD candidate in Nordic archaeology at UCLA’s prestigious Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.
The award will be presented Jan. 9 during the Awards Ceremony at the Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA.
