News

Jerrod A. Henderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is the 2024 winner of the Inclusive Excellence in Teaching Award from Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion in International Education (EDIIE).

EDIIE is part of Diversity Abroad, an organization focused on international education toward inclusive excellence. Diversity Abroad describes itself as the first organization solely dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion practices and policies in international education, with work that aligns to and advances higher education's inclusive excellence and comprehensive internationalization goals.

Henderson received the award during the Global Inclusion 2024, Diversity Abroad's 12th annual conference, which was held in late October in Washington, D.C. 

“I am honored to be recognized for doing what I love – teaching and providing diverse experiences to diverse learners in diverse parts of the world,” he said. “This award will further illustrate the importance of understanding engineering on a global scale and approaching the world with global competence and humility.” 

Since 2019, Henderson has developed programs in non-traditional locations such as Salvador in Brazil (2019 and 2024), Colombia (2023) and Ghana (2022), where people of color are solving the world’s most challenging problems, such as providing access to clean water, improving medicines and the just energy transition.

Henderson added, “I am also grateful to have been nominated for this award by my institution’s director of global engagement, Maggie Mahoney. Her support has been invaluable in advancing internationalization efforts on our campus and beyond.” 

He also thanks every collaborator, including Rick Greer, Vincent Carales, David Horton, Jr., Le Shorn Benjamin, Chrisdolyn Dawson and Minerva Carter. Each one has supported the execution of these learning abroad experiences and the 47 students who have participated in these learning abroad experiences since 2019.

“We proudly congratulate the 2024 EDIIE Award recipients for their accomplishments,” said Andrew Gordon, CEO & Founder of Diversity Abroad. “Their dedication, especially amid today’s challenges to inclusive excellence, inspires us all to continue advancing a more inclusive field of international education that benefits all students.” 

Henderson joined UH in 2016 as an instructional associate professor, and became the director of PROMES in 2017, a position he held until 2022. Henderson is also the co-founder of the St. Elmo Brady Academy, which received a $1.9 million NSF grant earlier this year. He was hired as a tenure-track assistant professor in 2021.