Four professors and three teaching assistants were honored for their commitment to teaching on Wednesday at the Engineering Council's "Excellence in Teaching" Awards, held every semester since the Council's inception in 1988.
The winners were selected by the undergraduate Council members from a pool of professors and TAs, based on nominations by students.
This year's recipients include Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Maria Klawe for MAT 104: Calculus, physics professor Joe Fowler for PHY 103: General Physics I, chemical engineering professor Sankaran Sundaresan for CHE 341: Mass, Momentum and Energy Transport, and electrical engineering professor Paul Prucnal for ELE 203: Electric Circuits.
Awards were also given to grad students Ken Kroenlein for MAE 427: Fossil Fuel Energy, Zhe Wang for COS 318: Operating Systems and Chrysanthos Gounaris for CHE 442: Design, Synthesis, and Optimization of Chemical Processes.
Reading from comments submitted by nominating students, Jessica Lee '08 said Fowler deserved the award for "sacrificing personal time to make sure we all received the help we needed" in "a class notorious for making or breaking engineers."
Prucnal showed "Beavis and Butthead" clips to his early morning class to wake them up and help them remember the material.
"Dedication to his students shines through everything he does," read one nomination.
Sundaresan's nominations included descriptions of his classroom behavior. "A cell phone went off in class, and he danced to it," said one.
"I thought the class was going to be hellish, but it was the best class I've had at Princeton in any department," said another.
Chrysanthos Gounaris scheduled weekly meetings with his students and devoted hours of additional time to review.
Students praised his efforts to answer questions at any time, even the day of his PhD exam.
"He was more than just a TA. He was a friend . . . and a magician," said a testimonial.
Klawe insisted that her students call her by her first name.
Students recalled how she brought a bowl of candy to each of the six review sessions she led before the class' final exam.
Klawe said she was thrilled to be there. "The thing I wanted most in my life was to win one of these awards," she said.
Read More
Dean of Graduate School hosts TigerSide Chat to celebrate 125th anniversary
Ambre Van de VeldePriestley highlighted Princeton’s continued leadership in graduate education, noting four new PhD programs just within the past three years: biophysics, bioengineering, quantum science, and material science engineering.
Priestley highlighted Princeton’s continued leadership in graduate education, noting four new PhD programs just within the past three years: biophysics, bioengineering, quantum science, and material science engineering.
‘I thought someone was playing a prank on me’: Princeton releases early action decisions for the Class of 2030
Hayk Yengibaryan and Benedict HooperConsistent with past practice, the University did not release data on the number of students admitted through Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA).
Consistent with past practice, the University did not release data on the number of students admitted through Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA).
Newest minors include Computing, Society and Policy, forthcoming Education Studies
Haeon LeeThe faculty meeting on Dec. 1 saw a unanimous vote to establish a new minor in Education Studies, following the approval of the minor in Computing, Society, and Policy at the end of last spring semester.
The faculty meeting on Dec. 1 saw a unanimous vote to establish a new minor in Education Studies, following the approval of the minor in Computing, Society, and Policy at the end of last spring semester.