# UK Economics Professor Patel Named 2026 Outstanding Teaching Award Recipient **Published:** 2026-07-28T13:33:53.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2026-outstanding-teaching-awards-darshak-patel) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-economics-professor-patel-named-2026-outstanding-teaching-award-recipient LEXINGTON, Ky. — [Darshak Patel, a professor in the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics, has been named one of 10 recipients of UK's 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards.](https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2026-outstanding-teaching-awards-darshak-patel) The awards, given by the [Office for Faculty Advancement](https://ofa.uky.edu/) and the Office of the Provost, recognize faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement. [Recipients were selected through a nomination process and reviewed by a selection committee from the UK Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.](https://celt.uky.edu/) For Patel, teaching extends beyond textbooks and lectures. Through economics, he encourages students to explore real-world decisions that shape communities, businesses and public policy. By connecting classroom concepts to everyday challenges, Patel aims to equip students with the tools to think critically, evaluate information and make evidence-based decisions. "Economics is not just graphs and models — it's a tool for making better decisions and creating value in their careers, communities and personal lives," Patel said in a statement. He emphasized that in an era of information overload, economics provides a framework for separating signal from noise. [Patel, who serves as director of undergraduate studies at the Gatton College,](https://gatton.uky.edu/people/darshak-patel) guides his teaching with three core principles: relevance, engagement and relationships. He employs varied learning methods including simulations, data projects, study abroad programs and business partnerships to encourage students to apply ideas in real-world settings rather than rely on memorization. One transformative moment came during a study abroad program in Kenya, where Patel's students worked alongside families participating in a Universal Basic Income program. Through firsthand conversations with residents facing difficult decisions about food, education and healthcare, students gained deeper insight into how economics shapes lives and communities. "Watching students make those connections reminded me why I teach," Patel said. [Patel is also heavily involved with EconGames, an annual data competition he co-founded that gives students the opportunity to participate in data analytics and research events designed to help them solve real-world problems.](https://gatton.uky.edu/news/professors-davis-and-patel-honored-uk-outstanding-teaching-awards) He previously won the 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award and has received multiple teaching honors throughout his career. [His research focuses on economics of education and innovative teaching methods, with publications in the Journal of Economic Education and the American Economist.](https://gatton.uky.edu/news/darshak-patel-gail-hoyt-and-uk-econ-phd-alumni-publish-research-on-economics-education-trends) [This year's Outstanding Teaching Awards were given to six faculty members and four graduate teaching assistants. Recipients received award certificates, commemorative engraved gifts and cash awards during a campus ceremony on April 30.](https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/uk-honors-2026-outstanding-teaching-award-winners) ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2026-outstanding-teaching-awards-darshak-patel) - [Gatton College faculty profile and biography of Darshak Patel](https://gatton.uky.edu/people/darshak-patel) - [UK Office for Faculty Advancement, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching](https://ofa.uky.edu/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2026-outstanding-teaching-awards-darshak-patel.