Sustainability awarded

In 2024, the Green Teaching Award was presented for the fourth time. The award is granted by the Environmental Council of the University of Akureyri. It is given to teachers who have integrated environmental protection into their courses. Audrey Louise Matthews, Chair of the Environmental Council, presented the awards on behalf of the council.

"With the Green Teaching Award, we want to highlight how the university’s best teachers integrate sustainability into all aspects of their teaching," says Audrey.

"We see the Green Teaching Award as a positive incentive for teachers to connect sustainability with all aspects of our environment. These are teachers who, through their dedication and scientific expertise, manage to connect the next generation to their commitment to the environment," she adds.

This time, two teachers received the award. One of them is Antje Neumann, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law.

Antje received the teaching award for the Polar Law courses, Industries in the Polar Regions and Environmental Law and Biodiversity. She holds a PhD from Tilburg University in the Netherlands and currently resides in Akureyri. In her work and research, Antje has focused on Indigenous rights in the Arctic and environmental protection in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Jón Þorvaldur Heiðarsson also received the award. He is a lecturer at the School of Business and received the award for the course Management and Operation of Municipalities.

In his work, Jón Þorvaldur has researched a variety of topics in regional studies, including transportation, hydropower development, and sheep farming, among others. Jón Þorvaldur holds a BSc in physics and a master’s degree in economics.

Congratulations to Antje and Jón Þorvaldur on receiving this well-deserved recognition!