Chang and Heckman receive Outstanding Teacher Award

Two members of the faculty of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University received Outstanding Teacher Awards for 2015-16 at the College’s spring faculty meeting April 29.

Dr. Chih-Hao Chang is a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Sarah Heckman is a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science.

The award, presented to 19 NC State faculty members for 2015-16, recognizes excellence in teaching at all levels and is a prerequisite for being considered for the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Alumni Distinguished Professor Award.

Recipients become members of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers for as long as they are NC State faculty members. Recognition is given at commencement, the Celebration of Academic Excellence, and the Teaching and Learning Symposium.

Chang joined the NC State faculty in the fall of 2011. He is interested in multifunctional nanostructured materials and nanomanufacturing. He was praised in his nomination for the award for his ability to make difficult classwork relatable and his eagerness to work with and help students. A student wrote, “In each class, he was energetic and clearly passionate about the material being taught. Each lecture was supplemented with several relevant in-class examples, which encouraged participation and enhanced the lessons being imparted.”

Heckman joined the NC State faulty in 2009 as a three-time graduate from the Department of Computer Science. Her interests are in undergraduate education, with a current focus on communication across the curriculum, and software engineering, with a focus on statistic analysis alert prioritization and program analysis tools. Her high standards for her students in not only their work, but in their communication and management skills were highlighted in her nomination. One student wrote, “She connects with all of her students and allows plenty of time both inside and outside of class if you need extra help on anything. I like the fact that she makes it a requirement to come see her during her office hours at least once the semester. It shows her desire to help students learn and grow during their college career.”