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In This Issue:
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SEAS Teachers HonoredThree SEAS faculty members were honored for their excellence in undergraduate teaching in recent ceremonies. John Kender, Associate Professor of Computer Science, and W. Michael Lai, Department Chair and Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery received the Alumni Association's Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award at Class Day. Prof. Kender's students praise his witty teaching style, creativity and ability "to navigate the ambiguous and unstructured field of visual interfaces with elegance." Said one, "Only in his class have I been able to show homework to my non-engineering friends and impress them and be free of being called a nerd." Prof. Lai's teaching skills were summed up by a student who said, "He is truly the epitome of a great teacher." His students praised his abilities to convey conceptual as well as analytical topics with clarity and organization; to care about how well each student learns; and to transmit his love of the subject. Raimondo Betti, associate professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics, received the Society of Columbia Graduates' Great Teacher Award and the Kim Award for Faculty Involvement. On Class Day, Prof. Betti became the first recipient of the Kim Award, given for "his marked commitment to students by being accessible, by participating in student events, and by providing excellent advising." A former recipient of the Alumni Association award, Dr. Betti was
honored in October by the Society of Columbia Graduates with its
Great Teacher Award. For Prof. Betti, teaching is a mission that
goes beyond the classroom. "A good teacher must be demanding
and require that students master certain principles," he said,
"but this must be tempered with patience and, above all, an
availability to help, to answer questions or simply to discuss any
matter with students. This relationship becomes a fundamental part
of everyday life for a teacher."
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