Academics

College of Engineering selects four Distinguished Teaching Fellows

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four doctoral students have been named Penn State College of Engineering Distinguished Teaching Fellows for the 2016-17 academic year.

The college established the fellowship program in 2014 to provide experiences that will enhance the career success of the fellows, particularly those who plan to pursue faculty positions.

As part of the program, fellows teach an undergraduate engineering course under the supervision of a faculty mentor for one semester.

The latest group of fellows includes doctoral candidates Freddy Galindo in electrical engineering, Aditya Shivprasad in nuclear engineering, Aniruddh Vashisth in engineering science and mechanics, and Asghar Gholizadeh Vayghan in civil engineering.

Galindo will teach E E 210 Circuits and Devices in spring 2017. He will be mentored by David Salvia, director of academic affairs in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Shivprasad will teach a fall 2016 section of NUC E 409 Nuclear Materials under the supervision of his thesis adviser, Arthur Motta, professor and chair of Penn State’s nuclear engineering program.

Vashisth will teach E MCH 211 Statics in spring 2017 and will be mentored by Charles E. Bakis, Distinguished Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics.

Vayghan plans to teach C E 336 Materials Science for Civil Engineers during the spring 2017 semester. He will be mentored by Farshad Rajabipour, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Tom Litzinger, assistant dean for educational innovation and accreditation in the College of Engineering, said fellows were selected based on applications submitted by their respective departments, which included statements of interest from the applicants and mentoring plans developed by faculty.

As participants of the program, fellows receive exclusive professional development opportunities, including attending the College of Engineering's new faculty workshop as well as special workshops sponsored by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education.

Litzinger said another valuable benefit of the program is the teaching experience that fellows gain under the guidance of their faculty mentors.

"This opportunity may help the fellows more successfully transition into their academic careers because they will better understand what it takes to prepare and teach an undergraduate course," he said.

Faculty and students who would like more information about the program may contact Litzinger at tal2@psu.edu.

Last Updated August 23, 2016

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