The Department of Mechanical Engineering’s own Dr. Meredith Metzger received the University of Utah’s Early Career Teaching Award for 2010-11. She was one of four recipients, university-wide. The awards were recently presented on April 13, 2011.
“Dr. Metzger is very deserving of this honor,” said Dr. Tim Ameel, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “She is seldom satisfied with the status quo in terms of curriculum, and continually strives to enhance the learning of her students by incorporating new techniques and materials into her courses.”
Nominees of this prestigious award must have demonstrated “distinction in teaching, demonstrated by activities that result in increased learning by students, such as the development of new methods or other curricular innovation,” according to the University Teaching Committee.
“The single most important factor in my growth and development as a teacher has been the feedback from my students,” said Dr. Metzger. “At Utah, our students are truly unique in the commitment they make to academic learning and professional training. My teaching has benefited directly as a result of their willingness to openly share with me what works and doesn’t work in the classroom.”
Nominees are evaluated on their CV’s, teaching portfolios, student evaluations, and letters of support. Also, nominees must have been teaching at the University of Utah for at least three years, but no more than eight years. Dr. Metzger has been a professor at the University of Utah since the Fall semester of 2004.
“I am very excited about the future of teaching excellence in Mechanical Engineering with young faculty such as Dr. Metzger on board,” reported Dr. Ameel.