May 16, 2024
By Jennifer Altmann for the Princeton Graduate School
The Graduate School has presented Katie VanderKam, doctoral student in mechanical and aerospace engineering, with a Teaching Award in recognition of her outstanding ability as an instructor. She is one of 10 students honored this year.
Winners were selected by a committee chaired by Lisa Schreyer, deputy dean of the Graduate School, and composed of the academic affairs deans of the Graduate School and staff from the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. The nominations were made by academic departments and programs.
VanderKam, who is in her fourth year of the doctoral program, served as a preceptor for MAE courses “Energy Conversion and the Environment: Transportation Applications” and “Thermodynamics.”
“Approaching teaching as an opportunity to unleash the inner potential of all of the students, she would push the students to go one step further, unlocking self-discovery rather than simply telling the students the answers,” said Michael E. Mueller, the associate chair and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Students remarked that VanderKam made an extra effort to provide guidance when they were wrestling with complex material. "Katie was able to always give direct and concise yet still understandable answers to our questions," one student said. "I also think Katie did a great job of relating the material to real world examples."