Rachel A. Willis is a Professor of American Studies and Adjunct Professor of Economics at UNC. She has won numerous awards including the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, two Student Undergraduate Teaching Awards, and the Robert Sigmon Award for Service Learning. A three-time winner of the Chapman Award, she has been a Senior Fellow at the Global Research Institute and is a Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholar at the Carolina Center for Public Service. Her teaching methods incorporate innovative field study, collaborative assignments and experiential learning through events and programs outside of the classroom. A labor economist interested in global access to work, she has recently focused on the impact of climate change on port communities.