Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education
The Educational Development Council (EDC) annually solicits nominations for the Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education. Romeo was a dedicated professor of Electrical Engineering and a founder of the WPI Plan. This award in his memory has been presented annually since 1999 to recognize early career faculty members who have made specific innovations or improvements to undergraduate education at WPI that have resulted in benefits such as enhanced motivation, conceptual understanding, reinforcement of knowledge, or real-world applications of theory.
Meet Recent Moruzzi Award Winners
Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Mechanical Engineering
Professor Ahmet Can Sabuncu's role in the collaborative design of a project-based engineering experimentation course and his study of its educational efficacy, emphasizes accessibility
and skills for the future of work by turning away from high-end equipment in favor of low-cost experimental materials that are widely available to any student in any location. Through skillfully sequenced modules with a gradual increase in cognitive complexity, students learn the necessities of careful measurements and analyses as they utilize sensors for temperature, strain, pressure, vibrations, and motor-control.
Rose Bohrer, Computer Science
In an amazing redesign of an undergraduate programming language course, Professor Bohrer has integrated theory-driven content with human-oriented concerns, social and ethical considerations, and belonging in computing. A suitable text did not exist, so Rose created an open-access textbook, a work rich in research and her conceptualization of the field. Her teaching approach has already been shared in several conference publications, and in two short years, she has already changed Computer Science at WPI for the better.
Joseph Aguilar and Kate McIntyre, Humanities and Arts
Professors Aguilar and McIntyre launched an international literary magazine, Hex Literary, which has made creative writing at WPI a thriving enterprise. The day-to-day business of running the journal is done largely by students, who learn about the history of literary journals, how to promote content through social media and other campaigns, evaluate literary submissions, plan events, and conduct interviews with writers. The work Joe and Kate have done to build the journal, their pedagogy, and outcomes for students are examples of the best things project-based learning can achieve.
Lindsay Davis - Humanities & Arts
With the goal of shifting STEM cultures away from exclusion and toward diversity and inclusion, Professor Lindsay Davis and Professor Rebecca Moody of the Humanities and Arts Department co-founded and co-direct a program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at WPI. Using existing but previously disconnected classes in Humanities and Arts and Social Sciences as well as new courses, they created a GSWS minor and a community in which WPI students can explore the socio-political issues of gender, sexuality, and identity.
Rebecca Moody - Humanities & Arts
With the goal of shifting STEM cultures away from exclusion and toward diversity and inclusion, Professor Lindsay Davis and Professor Rebecca Moody of the Humanities and Arts Department co-founded and co-direct a program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at WPI. Using existing but previously disconnected classes in Humanities and Arts and Social Sciences as well as new courses, they created a GSWS minor and a community in which WPI students can explore the socio-political issues of gender, sexuality, and identity.
Angela Rodriguez - Social Science & Policy Studies
As a stress researcher, Professor Angela Rodriguez knows that student stress undermines both well-being and learning. In fact, the stress of traditional exams interferes with the very purpose of an exam – to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning. With that in mind, Professor Rodriguez has implemented a transformative approach to giving exams using an open-ended, semi-graded, group format that focuses on high-level application and synthesis.
Catherine Whittington, Biomedical Engineering
Professor Whittington’s work to integrate inclusive teaching practices in the biomedical engineering curriculum uses intentional and creative ways to engage students in considering
critical social justice issues relevant to medicine and biomedical engineering. While co-teaching BME 1001, she integrated bioethics and bias in healthcare throughout the
course rather than in a single unit. She enhanced course content with more focused materials, discussions, examples, and assessments. By bringing healthcare and social
justice to the forefront in introductory biomedical engineering, she broadens students’ learning and prepares them to be innovators and changemakers.
Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Mechanical Engineering
Professor Ahmet Can Sabuncu's role in the collaborative design of a project-based engineering experimentation course and his study of its educational efficacy, emphasizes accessibility
and skills for the future of work by turning away from high-end equipment in favor of low-cost experimental materials that are widely available to any student in any location. Through skillfully sequenced modules with a gradual increase in cognitive complexity, students learn the necessities of careful measurements and analyses as they utilize sensors for temperature, strain, pressure, vibrations, and motor-control.
Rose Bohrer, Computer Science
In an amazing redesign of an undergraduate programming language course, Professor Bohrer has integrated theory-driven content with human-oriented concerns, social and ethical considerations, and belonging in computing. A suitable text did not exist, so Rose created an open-access textbook, a work rich in research and her conceptualization of the field. Her teaching approach has already been shared in several conference publications, and in two short years, she has already changed Computer Science at WPI for the better.
Joseph Aguilar and Kate McIntyre, Humanities and Arts
Professors Aguilar and McIntyre launched an international literary magazine, Hex Literary, which has made creative writing at WPI a thriving enterprise. The day-to-day business of running the journal is done largely by students, who learn about the history of literary journals, how to promote content through social media and other campaigns, evaluate literary submissions, plan events, and conduct interviews with writers. The work Joe and Kate have done to build the journal, their pedagogy, and outcomes for students are examples of the best things project-based learning can achieve.
Lindsay Davis - Humanities & Arts
With the goal of shifting STEM cultures away from exclusion and toward diversity and inclusion, Professor Lindsay Davis and Professor Rebecca Moody of the Humanities and Arts Department co-founded and co-direct a program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at WPI. Using existing but previously disconnected classes in Humanities and Arts and Social Sciences as well as new courses, they created a GSWS minor and a community in which WPI students can explore the socio-political issues of gender, sexuality, and identity.
Rebecca Moody - Humanities & Arts
With the goal of shifting STEM cultures away from exclusion and toward diversity and inclusion, Professor Lindsay Davis and Professor Rebecca Moody of the Humanities and Arts Department co-founded and co-direct a program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at WPI. Using existing but previously disconnected classes in Humanities and Arts and Social Sciences as well as new courses, they created a GSWS minor and a community in which WPI students can explore the socio-political issues of gender, sexuality, and identity.
Angela Rodriguez - Social Science & Policy Studies
As a stress researcher, Professor Angela Rodriguez knows that student stress undermines both well-being and learning. In fact, the stress of traditional exams interferes with the very purpose of an exam – to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning. With that in mind, Professor Rodriguez has implemented a transformative approach to giving exams using an open-ended, semi-graded, group format that focuses on high-level application and synthesis.
Catherine Whittington, Biomedical Engineering
Professor Whittington’s work to integrate inclusive teaching practices in the biomedical engineering curriculum uses intentional and creative ways to engage students in considering
critical social justice issues relevant to medicine and biomedical engineering. While co-teaching BME 1001, she integrated bioethics and bias in healthcare throughout the
course rather than in a single unit. She enhanced course content with more focused materials, discussions, examples, and assessments. By bringing healthcare and social
justice to the forefront in introductory biomedical engineering, she broadens students’ learning and prepares them to be innovators and changemakers.
Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Mechanical Engineering
Professor Ahmet Can Sabuncu's role in the collaborative design of a project-based engineering experimentation course and his study of its educational efficacy, emphasizes accessibility
and skills for the future of work by turning away from high-end equipment in favor of low-cost experimental materials that are widely available to any student in any location. Through skillfully sequenced modules with a gradual increase in cognitive complexity, students learn the necessities of careful measurements and analyses as they utilize sensors for temperature, strain, pressure, vibrations, and motor-control.
Eligibility
All faculty who hold the title of Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Assistant Teaching Professor, and Assistant Research Professor are eligible for nomination. Instructors/Lecturers and Professors of Practice in their early career are also eligible. Those under review for tenure, promotion, or reappointment in the current year are still eligible.
Nomination Process
Any student, staff, or faculty member who wishes to nominate an eligible faculty member is asked to complete a brief online form by December 20. Self-nominations are welcome. After the form is submitted, nominees will be notified.
The nominee will be in the best position to define the focus of the nomination and to solicit support letters. Nomination packets must be submitted by January 21 and consist of the following: 1) a two-page statement written by the nominee; and 2) up to three support letters. The nominee and letter writers should send their documents independently to morgan-center@wpi.edu by the deadline of January 21. The award winner(s) will be announced at the Faculty Awards Convocation in April, and each will receive $5,000 in professional development funds.
Advice to nominees
- Please note that strong nominations focus on a “specific innovation or improvement” as opposed to general excellence in teaching. The initiative need not be new or innovative on a national scale; specific improvements to undergraduate education at WPI are valued. At the same time, the selection committee does consider the level of innovation evident in the project.
- The two-page statement should include the following: a thorough description of the specific innovation or improvement that is the focus of the nomination; the rationale for the initiative; and evidence of student learning benefits.
- The strongest nomination packages typically include input from both colleagues and students. Nominees are encouraged to communicate the focus of the nomination (i.e., the specific innovation or improvement) to letter writers so that they can tailor their comments appropriately.
Advice to letter writers
- Because of the nature of the award, the most helpful letters emphasize the innovation or improvement that is the focus of the nomination rather than the nominee’s personal characteristics as a teacher or general excellence in teaching.
- Letter writers are encouraged to describe the degree of innovation in the project, how the nominee’s initiative has improved undergraduate education, and/or evidence of benefits to student learning. A one page letter is sufficient.
- Send letters directly to the Educational Development Council at morgan-center@wpi.edu by the deadline of January 21.
Learn more about the Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education and recent award recipients.