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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2018 Amit and Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student! This year, the Chakma Awards recognize the outstanding teaching of:

• Amanda Garcia, Systems Design Engineering;
• Quinlan Lee, Economics; and
• Anton Mosunov, Pure Mathematics.

Continue reading to find out what makes each of the recipients stand out.

Amanda Garcia is a PhD student in the Department of Systems Design Engineering. Students and faculty members recognized her as an approachable, knowledgeable, and dedicated instructor. A student remarked that “it was very clear that she wanted the students to succeed as she went above and beyond to set up one-on-one extra help sessions, was flexible on group extra help times, and was very quick to respond to email questions.” Another undergraduate student commented on her flexibility as an instructor, saying that “Amanda was a great instructor because she was constantly willing to receive feedback and alter the way she was teaching the course for the better understanding of the students.” Garcia has also been described by faculty members as “extremely patient and understanding with students.” Garcia continues to keep her classes informative, relatable, and engaging. In 2017, she was the recipient of the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Certificate in University Teaching Award. Garcia has been an instructor for SYDE 533, INDEV 212, and INDEV 212, as well as a Teaching Assistant for SYDE 261.

Quinlan Lee is an undergraduate student in the Department of Economics. Known by his students for his patience, Lee is recognized as “articulate, adept at breaking down difficult concepts and always adopt[ing] a genuine approach to guiding students toward a firm understanding of lecture material.” One student explained that “Quinlan provided a clear perspective on the material that goes beyond what was expected of a TA.” One faculty member noted that “the way he teaches the problems we agree that he will present and the way he explains how to tackle some problems are truly a complement to what I teach in class.” Lee has been a Teaching Assistant in Econ 323 for three terms over the course of his university career.  

Anton Mosunov, a PhD student in Pure Mathematics, is highly recognized for his dedication to learning and teaching. When asked about Mosunov’s impact on student learning, one undergraduate student explained that “he made the content interesting and easy to follow for every student. Not only did he provide great lectures, he also provided course notes and class videos to. . . ensure that we fully understood the material outside of class.” Another student wrote that “at office hours, Anton was always helpful. Whether I had a question about the course content itself, or things beyond the scope of the course, he was always enthusiastic in answering, and recommended further reading to me which allowed me to learn much more than one course could teach.” In addition to his students’ support, a faculty member highlighted that “in all cases, he went well beyond what was expected of him and was an essential contributor to the success of the course.” His support serves as a testament to this recognition. Mosunov has been an instructor for Math 119, and PMATH 340. He has also been a teaching assistant for Math 147, Math 148, Math 647, and Math 648.