2022-23 Teaching Assistant Award Winners in the Department of History

Two teaching assistants from the Department of History, Ludwig Decke and Emma Wathen, have received a Campus-Wide Teaching Assistant Awards. These awards recognize their excellence in teaching. Ludwig and Emma both received the Early Excellence in Teaching Award.

Ludwig Decke
Ludwig Decke

Ludwig Decke is a Ph.D. student in the Department of History, specializing in the intersection of Jewish, (post-)colonial, and modern European history. At UW-Madison, Ludwig has enjoyed being a TA for courses on Europe and the Modern World, 1815 to the Present; the First World War and the Shaping of 20th-Century Europe; and the Second World War. “I try to create a classroom in which everybody feels included and involved. This means less talking from my side, and more interaction between the students. I believe that critical historical thinking has the potential to create more responsible citizens and more empathetic human beings.”

Emma Wathen
Emma Wathen

Emma Wathen is pursuing a joint Ph.D. in History and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology. She has been a TA for Bodies, Diseases, and Healers: An Introductions to the History of Medicine; American History to the Civil War Era: The Origin & Growth of the U.S.; International Health and Global Society; and Biology and Society, 1950-Today. “As a disability historian, I am committed to ensuring not only that students receive the accommodations they need to thrive, but also that my discussions and assessments are designed in such a way that dismantles barriers to students’ education and allows them to engage with the course material in the way that best supports their learning.”

Both Ludwig and Emma will be teaching their first course as an instructor this summer. Ludwig will be teaching History 310: The Holocaust, and Emma will be teaching History of Science 212: Bodies, Diseases, and Healers: An Introduction to the History of Medicine.

To read more check out the 2022-23 Teach Assistant Award Winners article by the Graduate School.