Mechanical Professor Emad Jassim named top undergrad teacher
Professor Emad Jassim was named a top undergraduate teacher at the University by the Office of the Provost. He will be recognized on April 26 at the Celebration of Teaching Excellence ceremony. He is in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering.
March 29, 2017
University professor Dr. Emad Jassim received the 2017 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching from the Office of the Provost.
The award highlights Jassim, lecturer and director of undergraduate programs in mechanical science and engineering, as one of the top instructional staff members on the entire campus.
“Teaching is really a passion of mine. I’m really honored and humbled to receive this award,” Jassim said. “My parents, I want to thank them. They were mentors and teachers to me.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate degree in mechanical engineering from the University, Jassim started as a visiting research professor while also advising graduate students.
The College of Engineering previously presented Jassim with the Teaching Excellence award in 2013.
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“(The Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching) will only drive me even more to try and do better,” Jassim said. “I like to help people and (teaching) is a great way to help people.”
Award recipients are nominated by their colleagues, Jassim said. He will be formally recognized at the Celebration of Teaching Excellence ceremony on April 26.
The Center for Teaching Excellence also honored Jassim. He is included in their “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,” the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising and the MechSE Five-Year Effective Teaching Award.
“(Jassim) has the broad liaison-based knowledge in multiple areas of his discipline needed to advise students throughout their undergraduate work and beyond,” said James Phillips, professor emeritus, in a letter of recommendation submitted to the Provost.
Jassim also works closely with students on their senior design projects for mechanical engineering.
Phillips said that he became aware of Jassim’s contribution to campus in 2006, when the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics was merged with the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering.
“He is a very unusually dedicated person,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have him.”
