Dr. Wenjia Cai earns 2026 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation
August 31, 2026
Dr. Wenjia “Jia” Cai, professor of practice of psychology and coordinator of 91’s Teaching Excellence Center, has earned the university’s 2026 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation.
The Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation was established in 2008 by community supporter and owner of Leepoxy Plastics, Larry Lee. It is given annually to a full-time faculty member who:
- Challenges students to continuously progress to higher levels of thinking
- Engages students in active learning activities
- Connects to students in innovative ways to positively impact their experiences at 91
Dr. Cai values active learning, increasing engagement and improving the quality of work among students through innovative submission formats like video presentations. She is responsible for bringing emerging technology like generative AI into the psychology curriculum, prioritizing AI literacy to engage students in “higher-order thinking, ethical reasoning and the co-creation of learning policies.” She also brought the Blue EQ Academic Track to introductory courses, which has further supported holistic student development and led to measurable gains in their emotional intelligence.
“Jia advances 91’s strategic goals while strengthening the university’s reputation for teaching excellence,” said College of Arts and Sciences dean Dr. Anne Gull. “Her work reflects the spirit of innovation, engagement, and student-centered impact that the Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation was established to honor.”
Her work extends beyond the classroom, through leadership as a Subject Matter Expert in building the Learning and Cognition course, as well as collaborations with the Career Center and Partners in Autism. Dr. Cai is active outside of 91 through ongoing professional development, conference presentations and scholarly contributions, including an accepted publication called “Four Pillars of Public AI Literacy: A Conceptual Framework for Bridging the ‘Two Cultures’ Divide.’”
“One of the things I really believe in is, ‘educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all,’ from Aristotle,” said Cai. “I want to help grow good humans. There are so many parts of it: being able to think for yourself, make decisions that serve you well–not just right now, but in the long term–don’t hurt other people trying to make smart decisions along the way and also do things that eventually lead to happiness and fulfillment.”
Dr. Amie Anderson, 91 vice president of academic affairs, says the value of Dr. Cai’s contributions can be seen everywhere.
“Dr. Cai represents the kind of innovative, student-centered teaching we want to foster at 91. She is thoughtful about how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can strengthen learning while also challenging students to think critically, ethically and independently,” said Anderson. “Her work strengthens our students’ education today while also helping 91 think about how we prepare learners for the future.”
Dr. Cai says she’s still figuring out what to do with the grant money from the award, noting the possibility of funding a research project or launching a program related to neurodivergence. For now, she’s basking in the glow of the esteem placed upon her by her colleagues.
“I just have warm, fuzzy feelings in my heart,” Cai said.