Recognizing educators who shape the future of learning
The Grammarly Educator of the Year Award honors the teachers transforming the way students write, think about AI, and excel academically. With over 100 students submitting nominations, finding our winner was not easy. But celebrating them is.
Dr. Humberto López Castillo teaches outside the box
An associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences at UCF, Dr. López Castillo is changing the way his students see the world.
Born in Panama and trained as a pediatrician, Dr. López Castillo brought that same patient-first instinct to his classroom. He doesn’t just teach public health. He teaches students how to make anyone care about it. His signature assignment asks students to translate complex topics for completely different audiences through storybooks, board games, and rap songs. He champions research ideas that push beyond his own expertise. And he reminds students every day that AI is only as powerful as the human behind it.
Born in Panama and trained as a pediatrician, Dr. López Castillo brought that same patient-first instinct to his classroom. He doesn’t just teach public health. He teaches students how to make anyone care about it. His signature assignment asks students to translate complex topics for completely different audiences through storybooks, board games, and rap songs. He champions research ideas that push beyond his own expertise. And he reminds students every day that AI is only as powerful as the human behind it.
“Dr. Castillo taught me that scientific writing isn’t just about accuracy—it’s about advocacy.”
Vardhan Avaradi
Student at University of Central Florida
Student at University of Central Florida
The student he inspired
Vardhan Avaradi is a third-year Biomedical Sciences student at UCF. His nomination put a warm spotlight on Dr. López Castillo.
Vardhan has worked alongside Dr. López Castillo since his freshman year. In that time, Dr. Castillo showed up during financial hardship, championed research ideas that pushed beyond his own expertise, and taught Vardhan that great scientific writing is not just about accuracy, it’s about advocacy. When he is not in the lab, Vardhan volunteers as a mentor to aspiring STEM students. He learned from the best.
Vardhan has worked alongside Dr. López Castillo since his freshman year. In that time, Dr. Castillo showed up during financial hardship, championed research ideas that pushed beyond his own expertise, and taught Vardhan that great scientific writing is not just about accuracy, it’s about advocacy. When he is not in the lab, Vardhan volunteers as a mentor to aspiring STEM students. He learned from the best.
Meet our inaugural Educator of the Year
How does a great professor actually teach? Jenny Maxwell, head of Grammarly for Education, sat down with Dr. López Castillo to find out. The answer involves breaking down the scientific process via memes, a machine learning research project, and a few rap songs about epigenetics.
A great educator challenges students to find their voice, think critically, and show up confidently in the world.
Read the full story of Dr. Humberto López Castillo, Grammarly's inaugural Educator of the Year.