Four Princeton faculty members received President's Awards for Distinguished Teaching at Commencement ceremonies June 6.
They are: William Bialek, the John Archibald Wheeler/Battelle Professor
in Physics; Joel Cooper, professor of psychology; William Gleason,
associate professor of English; and Sankaran (Sundar) Sundaresan,
professor of chemical engineering.
The awards were established in 1991 through gifts by Princeton alumni
Lloyd Cotsen '50 and John Sherrerd '52 to recognize excellence in
undergraduate and graduate teaching by Princeton faculty members. Each
winner receives a cash prize of $5,000, and his or her department
receives $3,000 for the purchase of new books.
A committee of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students and
academic administrators selected the winners from nominations by
current students, faculty colleagues and alumni.
Bialek, who joined the Princeton faculty in 2001, also is a
member of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. He is
one of the architects of the new integrated science curriculum for
undergraduates, which involves faculty from chemistry, computer
science, molecular biology and physics. In addition, he co-teaches the
introductory course in that curriculum and leads a graduate-level
biophysics class.
Those nominating Bialek for the award singled out his superior
lecturing skills and his ability to integrate concepts across
scientific disciplines. He is legendary for showing up for class armed
only with a bucket of colorful sidewalk chalk he uses to cover the
blackboard. Without referring to notes, he delivers lectures with "a
blend of rigor and care that appeals to the entire range of students,"
according to a colleague.
"Anyone who has ever attended a lecture by Professor Bialek can tell
you that his brilliance and intellectual capabilities are unmatched,
and his ability to express not only the substance of his subject matter
but also the passion he has for it is simply astounding," added a
student from the integrated science class. "I left every lecture
feeling awed and blown away at what science has to offer."
Bialek is also known for his accessibility to students and the care he
takes to help them comprehend the science. Several mentioned the very
thorough lecture notes he prepares and distributes to students.
"Every day, with no exaggeration, we would walk out of his class amazed
and excited not only about the way in which Professor Bialek had
presented his lectures, but also by his ability to explain anything,"
wrote two students who also were members of the integrated science
class. "He created an environment where questions were encouraged and
supported. It was not about getting through the material, but about
making sure that every student in the room left his lecture
understanding what had been taught."
Cooper, who came to Princeton in 1969, teaches a popular
undergraduate course titled "Persuasion and Propaganda" and
introductory psychology and social psychology classes. He also has led
graduate seminars, most recently on "Attitude Structure and Change."
He is well known for his engaging style of lecturing. Students and
colleagues have said that he provides the right mix of theory with
concrete, relevant and contemporary illustrations. "Professor Cooper is
one of those professors who make Princeton 'Princeton,'" wrote one
undergraduate. "His breadth, depth of knowledge, and the fluidity with
which he conveys that knowledge, [are] truly incomparable."
Several commented on the research component of the "Persuasion and
Propaganda" course, for which students must design and conduct an
empirical study.
"He provided abundant guidance every step of the way, obviously
investing himself into our studies as much as we all were," one student
wrote. "We became a group of scholars eagerly delving into the material
every week and trying to apply the material to our own empirical
research. Professor Cooper would wait excitedly every week to hear
about our studies, and take as much time as possible, whenever
possible, to help us troubleshoot every detail of the experiment,
especially when the data took unexpected turns."
Several graduate alumni, who have gone on to careers as professors,
wrote letters praising Cooper for his mentoring skills. "Joel's sincere
concern for his students and his eagerness to provide them with
opportunities and settings in which they can grow as scientists has
long been apparent," one said in his nomination letter. "Maybe, the
best compliment I can pay Joel is that I have considered him a model in
this regard and have tried to adopt the same approach with my own
students."
Gleason, a Princeton faculty member since 1993, specializes in
19th- and 20th-century American literature, American cultural studies
and popular culture. He teaches undergraduate classes in the English
department and the American studies program on topics such as "American
Literature from 1860 to 1930" and "American Places." His graduate
seminars have included "American Realism and Naturalism" and
"Architecture and 19th-Century American Literature."
Gleason has served as the English department’s director of graduate
studies for four years. This spring, he was honored for his efforts to
nurture the intellectual, professional and personal growth of graduate
students with a University Graduate Mentoring Award. Students
nominating him for the teaching award cited his unfailing devotion to
them.
"Bill has been a truly outstanding role model and mentor to me -- and
for so many others," wrote one graduate student. "With every new
challenge I faced as a student, he was always there to turn to. Without
fanfare, he puts a huge amount of time and effort into providing the
support graduate students need as they find their footing in the worlds
of scholarship and teaching."
Gleason has worked to meet the needs of students through both
extracurricular and curricular offerings. He has organized workshops
and seminars for graduate students on teaching, publishing and other
professional activities. He also has retooled the undergraduate
curriculum, developing popular new courses such as "American Best
Sellers" and refocusing others on contemporary topics such as
urbanization and technology.
Several students praised his ability to lead thoughtful discussions in
class. "As a preceptor, Professor Gleason created an exquisite balance
between sharing his own insights and prodding us to articulate our
own," wrote one undergraduate. "He was by far the most encouraging and
respectful preceptor I have had, which motivated even the quieter
students to feel comfortable speaking."
Sundaresan has taught 15 different courses since joining the
Princeton faculty in 1980, including many of the core chemical
engineering courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. One
colleague emphasized his great versatility and called him a "pillar" of
the chemical engineering department's teaching program. In 2005, he won
a Distinguished Teacher Award from the School of Engineering and
Applied Science.
Most recently, Sundaresan has been leading an undergraduate class on
"Mass, Momentum and Energy Transport" and a graduate class on
"Incompressible Fluid Mechanics." One graduate student admitted that he
"despised" the subject of fluid mechanics before taking Sundaresan's
class.
"But never before or since have I experienced such a dramatic change in
my perspective on a subject," he wrote. "Professor Sundaresan taught
the material in such a clear and logical way that I couldn't avoid
understanding it. I finally saw the beauty and unity of fluid
mechanics."
Other students commended his clear lecture notes and detailed problem
sets. Sundaresan is known for creating special tutorials for students
who want more exposure to specific topics as well as for sending
lengthy e-mails to classes that respond to questions raised by
individuals during office hours. Students also praised his open-door
policy and his efforts to seek feedback to improve his courses.
"Never once did he run out of different ways to explain a complicated
concept," wrote one undergraduate. "One particular time, two of my
classmates and I went to his office hours for help. … He actually
refused to let us leave until the confused looks on our faces turned to
smiles of understanding."