Into the MikeVerse
Engineering Keystone Instructor’s Funny, Informative Videos Garner Cult Following
By Karen Shih ’09 Nov 14, 2023
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE
Keystone Program Lecturer Mike Galczynski gets zapped by a shrink ray as part of "The Arduino Trilogy," one of his many instructional videos that combine engineering lessons with pop culture references and jokes.
Mike Galczynski might have Thor’s hammer in his office, but he doesn’t need the power of a Norse god to make A. James Clark School of Engineering classes engaging.
Instead, he’s using movie magic to make instructional videos both informative and fun, tossing out corny dad jokes and using low-budget special effects to immerse students in the lessons.
He started when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, using his self-taught shooting and editing skills to go beyond just recording his voice over a PowerPoint presentation. Now, he has nearly 125 videos on YouTube—with Mjölnir the hammer featuring in his own MCU (“Mike’s Cinematic Universe”) series—reaching up to 5,800 views on his most popular ones. This fall, he’s recruited a group of students interested in learning about video production to help him expand his reach, and he’s even bought a new green screen so they can explore more effects.
Mike Galczynski might have Thor’s hammer in his office, but he doesn’t need the power of a Norse god to make A. James Clark School of Engineering classes engaging.
Instead, he’s using movie magic to make instructional videos both informative and fun, tossing out corny dad jokes and using low-budget special effects to immerse students in the lessons.
He started when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, using his self-taught shooting and editing skills to go beyond just recording his voice over a PowerPoint presentation. Now, he has nearly 125 videos on YouTube—with Mjölnir the hammer featuring in his own MCU (“Mike’s Cinematic Universe”) series—reaching up to 5,800 views on his most popular ones. This fall, he’s recruited a group of students interested in learning about video production to help him expand his reach, and he’s even bought a new green screen so they can explore more effects.
Galczynski turns into the Hulk
“I’ll be walking around campus, or going to the gym, and people will stop me like, ‘Dude, you’re the video guy, you saved my life in ENES102!’” Galczynski said. “It makes me really happy.”
Getting up in front of a crowd comes naturally to the former musical theater enthusiast, whose early experiences include a stint as Kurt from “The Sound of Music” during a school production. He liked buildings and architecture too, so he came to the University of Maryland in 2008 to pursue civil and environmental engineering, aiming for a career in construction.
But he struggled initially in physics, chemistry and calculus, and resulting in a disappointing GPA in his first semester. What changed in the spring was the chance to go beyond the textbook and build a hovercraft in ENES100 (“Introduction to Engineering Design”), part of the Keystone Program.
“I was really beat down, and then I felt so re-energized,” he said. “I even made some of my best friends in college in that class.”
Now, he’s marking eight years as an instructor in that program, designed to give extra support and enhanced hands-on experiences to first- and second-year engineering students. He’s an in-demand teacher (check out his 4.96/5-star rating on PlanetTerp) for two intro courses, a 300-level civil engineering class and two study abroad courses on sustainability in Iceland and Costa Rica. (His famed lemon bars and Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies, which often make an appearance around exams, only boost his reputation further.)
“To form a connection with teachers, students usually have to go out of their way,” said civil engineering major Rohan Doshi ’24, who’s taken four classes with Galczynski and served as his teaching assistant. “But with Mike, he goes out of his way to make a connection with his students, and that makes a huge difference.”
Galczynski shares a few of his favorite videos:
The Arduino Trilogy
With a reference to the hair-raising T. rex. entrance in “Jurassic Park” and a shrink-ray zapping Galczynski, Ant-Man-style, into the quantum realm, the series introduces students to the Arduino, a small, programmable circuit board often used in introductory engineering classes.
“I knew people were bummed out to be at home during the pandemic,” he said. “So I wanted to throw in a little unexpected thing, an underlying joke that relates to the content. Then as I got further along, I got more creative.”
With a reference to the hair-raising T. rex. entrance in “Jurassic Park” and a shrink-ray zapping Galczynski, Ant-Man-style, into the quantum realm, the series introduces students to the Arduino, a small, programmable circuit board often used in introductory engineering classes.
“I knew people were bummed out to be at home during the pandemic,” he said. “So I wanted to throw in a little unexpected thing, an underlying joke that relates to the content. Then as I got further along, I got more creative.”
On materials failing under stress
Is that … two Mikes? As part of an online lecture about stress, Galczynski put himself under duress. He filmed two versions of himself at the UMD Golf Course, leaving his camera set up so he wouldn’t lose the shot as he ran back into the clubhouse to change clothes.
He was on campus seven days a week for months during the pandemic, trekking from McKeldin Mall to the bridges over Paint Branch Creek to the engineering labs, to give students learning remotely the feeling of being on campus. It was a laborious process—a minute of finished video takes an hour to produce—“but I knew it would be worthwhile,” he said.
Is that … two Mikes? As part of an online lecture about stress, Galczynski put himself under duress. He filmed two versions of himself at the UMD Golf Course, leaving his camera set up so he wouldn’t lose the shot as he ran back into the clubhouse to change clothes.
He was on campus seven days a week for months during the pandemic, trekking from McKeldin Mall to the bridges over Paint Branch Creek to the engineering labs, to give students learning remotely the feeling of being on campus. It was a laborious process—a minute of finished video takes an hour to produce—“but I knew it would be worthwhile,” he said.
On participating in virtual classes
With nobody to film with during COVID, Galczynski wound up frequently chatting with himself on screen—a tactic he employed again in this video as he lectured to himself and a room of black Zoom boxes, showing the importance of engaging visually and vocally in class.
Doshi was grateful for the nudge. “In all my other classes, everyone had their cameras off and it wasn’t interactive at all. I couldn’t make friends,” he said. “But Mike made sure people had their videos on, split us into breakout rooms and popped in to make sure we were collaborating, and I actually got to meet people that I still talk to today.”
With nobody to film with during COVID, Galczynski wound up frequently chatting with himself on screen—a tactic he employed again in this video as he lectured to himself and a room of black Zoom boxes, showing the importance of engaging visually and vocally in class.
Doshi was grateful for the nudge. “In all my other classes, everyone had their cameras off and it wasn’t interactive at all. I couldn’t make friends,” he said. “But Mike made sure people had their videos on, split us into breakout rooms and popped in to make sure we were collaborating, and I actually got to meet people that I still talk to today.”
Iceland study abroad
It’s a world of geothermal wonders: Iceland features shooting geysers, steaming hot springs—and even the chance to bake bread underground. Galcyznski captures all that through photos and videos for his students to look back on—and recruit the next cohort.
https://twitter.com/ClarkSchool/status/1725540573405163906
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7131306267913945090
https://www.facebook.com/clarkschool/posts/pfbid02yvnZHLPARVaCEWuXjfbPN7EjmEAiQ2sSoY5pTh483nkfvxGWpFNDMFxejZXh4Avdl
It’s a world of geothermal wonders: Iceland features shooting geysers, steaming hot springs—and even the chance to bake bread underground. Galcyznski captures all that through photos and videos for his students to look back on—and recruit the next cohort.
https://twitter.com/ClarkSchool/status/1725540573405163906
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7131306267913945090
https://www.facebook.com/clarkschool/posts/pfbid02yvnZHLPARVaCEWuXjfbPN7EjmEAiQ2sSoY5pTh483nkfvxGWpFNDMFxejZXh4Avdl
Dean’s Outstanding Performance Award for Professional Track Faculty
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, SPRING 2023
AWARD DESCRIPTION
The Outstanding Performance award for Professional Track Faculty was instituted in 2020, by the Dean of the Clark School. The award recognizes exceptionally influential accomplishments in one, or both, the areas of research and teaching.
EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENT
Michael Galczynski is a Senior Lecturer in the Clark School’s Keystone Program. His passion and dedication for improving teaching were evident during the height of the COVID pandemic, producing videos for ENES 100 that introduced students to important engineering concepts. He has carried on by producing digital content for ENES 102. Students lauded his ability to make difficult courses fun and easy to understand, inspiring them to be better engineers. In 2021, he received the Donna B. Hamilton Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching from the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Michael has served as a faculty advisor for several student clubs and organizations, including the Steel Bridge team, Sigma Alpha Lambda, and Engineering Playdate, a program for girls ages 8 - 12 who want to become engineers.
The Outstanding Performance award for Professional Track Faculty was instituted in 2020, by the Dean of the Clark School. The award recognizes exceptionally influential accomplishments in one, or both, the areas of research and teaching.
EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENT
Michael Galczynski is a Senior Lecturer in the Clark School’s Keystone Program. His passion and dedication for improving teaching were evident during the height of the COVID pandemic, producing videos for ENES 100 that introduced students to important engineering concepts. He has carried on by producing digital content for ENES 102. Students lauded his ability to make difficult courses fun and easy to understand, inspiring them to be better engineers. In 2021, he received the Donna B. Hamilton Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching from the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Michael has served as a faculty advisor for several student clubs and organizations, including the Steel Bridge team, Sigma Alpha Lambda, and Engineering Playdate, a program for girls ages 8 - 12 who want to become engineers.
Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Program - MentorsHIP AWARD
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, FALL 2021
WILLIAM GERST - MENTORSHIP QUOTE
Years later, at University of Maryland, I found another great instructor and mentor in Professor Michael Galczynski, who taught two of my introductory engineering courses. Like Mr. Polack, Professor Galczynski is a charismatic instructor who makes the course material captivating and entertaining, and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from him.
Years later, at University of Maryland, I found another great instructor and mentor in Professor Michael Galczynski, who taught two of my introductory engineering courses. Like Mr. Polack, Professor Galczynski is a charismatic instructor who makes the course material captivating and entertaining, and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from him.
OVERVIEW OF THE AWARD
Some of University of Maryland’s outstanding graduating seniors worked to address climate change, education gaps, and diversity, equity and inclusion. One senior wrote a textbook. Another has already been admitted to Harvard Law School, but first will serve in the Teach for America Corps in D.C.
However, the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars program does more than recognize these seniors for their accomplishments, prestigious internships and impressive GPAs. It honors faculty and K-12 teachers who helped mentor them.
Each of the 19 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars being honored this week credits grade school and high school teachers and UMD faculty who helped guide, inspire, coach, tutor and challenge them in both big and small ways.
“Programs like these are critical to our students’ success,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “They celebrate invaluable mentorship that will have a long lasting impact on the lives of our students, while on campus and beyond. We are incredibly grateful for the individuals who have been instrumental to our students’ progress during their academic journeys.”
The late Philip Merrill, friend of the University and long-time Washington area publisher, created the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Program in 2004 to build a community of scholars, faculty members and K-12 teachers who recognize the importance of teaching and mentoring the next generation. The Scholars are selected by the academic colleges and schools with undergraduate major programs. The program provides $1,000 scholarships, which are awarded in the K-12 teacher’s name to another student from that school district who will attend UMD in the fall of 2022.
“The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program is creating an important legacy,” said William A. Cohen, Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies. “In recognizing that mentorship is at the heart of academic and personal achievement, these scholarships honor the K-12 teachers and UMD undergraduate faculty who support student success through academic guidance, encouragement, and support.”
Some of University of Maryland’s outstanding graduating seniors worked to address climate change, education gaps, and diversity, equity and inclusion. One senior wrote a textbook. Another has already been admitted to Harvard Law School, but first will serve in the Teach for America Corps in D.C.
However, the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars program does more than recognize these seniors for their accomplishments, prestigious internships and impressive GPAs. It honors faculty and K-12 teachers who helped mentor them.
Each of the 19 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars being honored this week credits grade school and high school teachers and UMD faculty who helped guide, inspire, coach, tutor and challenge them in both big and small ways.
“Programs like these are critical to our students’ success,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “They celebrate invaluable mentorship that will have a long lasting impact on the lives of our students, while on campus and beyond. We are incredibly grateful for the individuals who have been instrumental to our students’ progress during their academic journeys.”
The late Philip Merrill, friend of the University and long-time Washington area publisher, created the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Program in 2004 to build a community of scholars, faculty members and K-12 teachers who recognize the importance of teaching and mentoring the next generation. The Scholars are selected by the academic colleges and schools with undergraduate major programs. The program provides $1,000 scholarships, which are awarded in the K-12 teacher’s name to another student from that school district who will attend UMD in the fall of 2022.
“The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program is creating an important legacy,” said William A. Cohen, Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies. “In recognizing that mentorship is at the heart of academic and personal achievement, these scholarships honor the K-12 teachers and UMD undergraduate faculty who support student success through academic guidance, encouragement, and support.”
DONNA B. HAMILTON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, SPRING 2021
This award is based solely on student nominations, which are solicited from across campus to recognize instructors for outstanding contribution to teaching in the General Education program at UMD. Excerpts from student nominations below:
https://www.ugst.umd.edu/teachingaward.html
https://www.ugst.umd.edu/teachingawardwinners.html
- "Mike is the most enthusiastic teacher I have ever had. He is able to convey complex material in a fun and engaging manner, which was awesome for an introductory engineering course to get students excited about the field."
- “Mike was such a good ENES100 teacher that I moved my entire schedule around to make sure I had him for ENES102. The friends I formed in his class through our group projects are some of the closest friends I have at the university, which is largely due to Mike’s encouragement of team building during COVID. Mike has also made it very clear his door is always open for questions, and I’d feel comfortable going to him for just about anything.”
- “He went above and beyond with putting time into his lecture videos to help the students better understand the material. The time he put into his videos made them more enjoyable to watch and allowed the students to enjoy learning the challenging concepts.”
- "Mike led with a positive attitude, and encouraged us to learn from our mistakes and keep trying until we found a solution. He was very approachable, and went above and beyond to ensure every student understood the material by teaching us that it was alright to ask for help."
https://www.ugst.umd.edu/teachingaward.html
https://www.ugst.umd.edu/teachingawardwinners.html
STUDY ABROAD COURSE DEVELOPMENT
JANUARY 2019
The original article can be found here: https://gradschool.umd.edu/newsroom/4677
Mike Galczynski has three passions: teaching, baking and traveling. Somehow, he has found a way to satisfy all three through his academic and professional pursuits. As an engineer and science education doctoral student, he teaches innovative engineering courses to undergraduates at UMD, including ones in Greece and Iceland last year. In addition to Galczynski’s track record of successful teaching, his pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the gold standard (or so his students have said).
Sitting in a café in Liberia, Costa Rica, Galczynski is once again hard at work. He is on assignment to launch a program next year that will expose Maryland engineering students to the innovative ways Costa Rica has implemented sustainable technologies to address climate change. In the long run and through his research, Galczynski hopes to reimagine engineering education so that each course he teaches can be a transformative experience.
“I believe that it is the responsibility of educators to help bring out the best in their students, and to ensure that they are well-rounded–-that is, able to handle the complex and diverse challenges that our world faces. For example, climate change is not only an ‘engineering problem,’ it involves technology, policy, law, economics, health, and many other areas. Going abroad opens the door to looking at the world differently, seeing something first-hand and solving global issues with an interdisciplinary approach. If this is done early in a degree program, students are more likely to stay engaged in their fields,” remarks Galczynski.
Last summer, in concert with Dr. Natasha Andrade, he organized and led the first-ever UMD study abroad program to Iceland. The course also had the distinction of being accepted by multiple engineering departments for upper level engineering technical elective credit. With 15 Maryland undergraduates, the Iceland experience took students on engineering-focused tours of the Harpa Opera House, the Blue Lagoon, the Geothermal Energy ON Exhibition (a geothermal energy plant), the Hellisheiðarvirkjun Geothermal Powerplant, the Ljósafoss Powerstation (Hydroelectric power plant), and the Friðheimar Greenhouse-–in addition to cultural sights.
“The length of the Iceland program was great--being able to study abroad over the summer without the need to restructure my four-year plan was one of the main reasons I signed up. For many engineering majors, it is difficult to study abroad for a whole semester and still graduate on time. As a computer engineering major, I would have never gotten the opportunity to learn about the thermodynamics of power plants, and the Iceland trip was a great opportunity to learn about topics outside of my normal course content. Also, learning more about other engineering disciplines, as well as experiencing Icelandic culture, helped me grow as a professional and broadened my perspective,” says junior computer engineering major, Phillip Vea.
Adds Renooka Karmarkar, an electrical engineering student, “I chose to take this course because I, too, wasn't able to work out spending an entire semester abroad. However, even in the 10 days in Iceland I realized that STEM is a language understood all over the world. The things we learn at College Park can be applied overseas. At UMD especially, a lot of the opportunities provided to graduating engineers are within the defense field. After traveling to Iceland, I was further convinced that a career in engineering can span everything from defense to environmental technology. Taking this course led me to pursue more opportunities abroad, such as traveling with Engineers Without Borders.”
In Costa Rica, Galczynski plans to focus on geothermal energy generation, and its applications. The country offers biological, geographical, and cultural diversity. For Galczynski, the perfect recipe for an overseas academic program. Modeled on the rigorous course in Iceland, Galczynski hopes that potential students engage in cultural immersion, experience real-world applications of engineering solutions and problems, and build a close-knit community of scholars.
“Study Abroad experiences allow students have a more casual but exciting feel which then create stronger bonds between classmates and instructors. I believe that students that are more comfortable with one another and their instructors are more likely to engage with the class material, and experience significant learning and growth. In my regular classes, I think it is extremely important to build a comfortable classroom environment that encourages students to learn,” observes Galczynski.
In Costa Rica, Galczynski intends to visit the geothermally active area at Rincon De La Vieja, tour a geothermal energy plant, visit active and dormant volcanoes, learn about the history and culture of the country, visit hydroelectric and wind power stations, and explore the beautiful surroundings of San Jose, La Fortuna and Guanacaste. Galczynski is also considering some sort of Spanish language immersion component in order to help students better interact with the culture.
In structuring some of the academic details, Galczynski consulted ahead of time with The Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS) and its director Dr. Anthony Chamberlain (’05 PhD, Government and Politics), and Dr. John Atkinson who offers a similar program through the University at Buffalo. Galczynski also plans to visit with the Monteverde Institute which has helped Dr. David Myers from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture to bring Maryland students to Costa Rica.
Building a remarkable immersion program has a lot of moving parts. In some ways it is like baking-–it’s a science, and it’s meant to be shared. “To develop these courses, I try to put on my tour guide hat. As a former engineering guide at UMD and at UC Berkeley, I am used to introducing people to the most interesting locations and significant stories of a place. This trip to Costa Rica is with those key points in mind. My goal in developing this new course is to try and build the perfect itinerary that successfully weaves together the academic and cultural as well as the adventurous aspects of an effective overseas program. Ideally, the course will tell a cohesive story from beginning to end and leave students with an enriching experience that they will never forget,” concludes Galczynski.
More information about Mike Galczynski can be found here.
Mike Galczynski has three passions: teaching, baking and traveling. Somehow, he has found a way to satisfy all three through his academic and professional pursuits. As an engineer and science education doctoral student, he teaches innovative engineering courses to undergraduates at UMD, including ones in Greece and Iceland last year. In addition to Galczynski’s track record of successful teaching, his pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the gold standard (or so his students have said).
Sitting in a café in Liberia, Costa Rica, Galczynski is once again hard at work. He is on assignment to launch a program next year that will expose Maryland engineering students to the innovative ways Costa Rica has implemented sustainable technologies to address climate change. In the long run and through his research, Galczynski hopes to reimagine engineering education so that each course he teaches can be a transformative experience.
“I believe that it is the responsibility of educators to help bring out the best in their students, and to ensure that they are well-rounded–-that is, able to handle the complex and diverse challenges that our world faces. For example, climate change is not only an ‘engineering problem,’ it involves technology, policy, law, economics, health, and many other areas. Going abroad opens the door to looking at the world differently, seeing something first-hand and solving global issues with an interdisciplinary approach. If this is done early in a degree program, students are more likely to stay engaged in their fields,” remarks Galczynski.
Last summer, in concert with Dr. Natasha Andrade, he organized and led the first-ever UMD study abroad program to Iceland. The course also had the distinction of being accepted by multiple engineering departments for upper level engineering technical elective credit. With 15 Maryland undergraduates, the Iceland experience took students on engineering-focused tours of the Harpa Opera House, the Blue Lagoon, the Geothermal Energy ON Exhibition (a geothermal energy plant), the Hellisheiðarvirkjun Geothermal Powerplant, the Ljósafoss Powerstation (Hydroelectric power plant), and the Friðheimar Greenhouse-–in addition to cultural sights.
“The length of the Iceland program was great--being able to study abroad over the summer without the need to restructure my four-year plan was one of the main reasons I signed up. For many engineering majors, it is difficult to study abroad for a whole semester and still graduate on time. As a computer engineering major, I would have never gotten the opportunity to learn about the thermodynamics of power plants, and the Iceland trip was a great opportunity to learn about topics outside of my normal course content. Also, learning more about other engineering disciplines, as well as experiencing Icelandic culture, helped me grow as a professional and broadened my perspective,” says junior computer engineering major, Phillip Vea.
Adds Renooka Karmarkar, an electrical engineering student, “I chose to take this course because I, too, wasn't able to work out spending an entire semester abroad. However, even in the 10 days in Iceland I realized that STEM is a language understood all over the world. The things we learn at College Park can be applied overseas. At UMD especially, a lot of the opportunities provided to graduating engineers are within the defense field. After traveling to Iceland, I was further convinced that a career in engineering can span everything from defense to environmental technology. Taking this course led me to pursue more opportunities abroad, such as traveling with Engineers Without Borders.”
In Costa Rica, Galczynski plans to focus on geothermal energy generation, and its applications. The country offers biological, geographical, and cultural diversity. For Galczynski, the perfect recipe for an overseas academic program. Modeled on the rigorous course in Iceland, Galczynski hopes that potential students engage in cultural immersion, experience real-world applications of engineering solutions and problems, and build a close-knit community of scholars.
“Study Abroad experiences allow students have a more casual but exciting feel which then create stronger bonds between classmates and instructors. I believe that students that are more comfortable with one another and their instructors are more likely to engage with the class material, and experience significant learning and growth. In my regular classes, I think it is extremely important to build a comfortable classroom environment that encourages students to learn,” observes Galczynski.
In Costa Rica, Galczynski intends to visit the geothermally active area at Rincon De La Vieja, tour a geothermal energy plant, visit active and dormant volcanoes, learn about the history and culture of the country, visit hydroelectric and wind power stations, and explore the beautiful surroundings of San Jose, La Fortuna and Guanacaste. Galczynski is also considering some sort of Spanish language immersion component in order to help students better interact with the culture.
In structuring some of the academic details, Galczynski consulted ahead of time with The Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS) and its director Dr. Anthony Chamberlain (’05 PhD, Government and Politics), and Dr. John Atkinson who offers a similar program through the University at Buffalo. Galczynski also plans to visit with the Monteverde Institute which has helped Dr. David Myers from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture to bring Maryland students to Costa Rica.
Building a remarkable immersion program has a lot of moving parts. In some ways it is like baking-–it’s a science, and it’s meant to be shared. “To develop these courses, I try to put on my tour guide hat. As a former engineering guide at UMD and at UC Berkeley, I am used to introducing people to the most interesting locations and significant stories of a place. This trip to Costa Rica is with those key points in mind. My goal in developing this new course is to try and build the perfect itinerary that successfully weaves together the academic and cultural as well as the adventurous aspects of an effective overseas program. Ideally, the course will tell a cohesive story from beginning to end and leave students with an enriching experience that they will never forget,” concludes Galczynski.
More information about Mike Galczynski can be found here.
ICELAND SUMMER 2019
AUGUST 2019
The original article can be found here: eng.umd.edu/news/story/engineering-sustainable-solutionshellipglobally?utm_medium=email&utm_source=enews&utm_campaign=2019+welcome+back&utm_content=body
It was an opportunity to experience another part of the world—and build expertise about engineering solutions that could be crucial to our planet’s future.
Just after spring semester classes wrapped up at UMD, a group of students traveled to Rejkjavik, capital of Iceland, to begin their summer studies under the guidance of civil and environmental engineering faculty member Natasha Andrade and Michael Galczynski, an instructor in the Clark School’s Keystone program. They would spend the next two weeks based in Rejkjavik, with day trips to a variety of other locations.
Why Iceland? The small, northerly island country holds particular significance for those with an interest in renewable energy: except for small diesel generators used to power fishing boats, Iceland meets all its energy needs through renewables—particularly thermal and hydroelectric.
“Iceland makes very good use of its resources,” Andrade explained. “They don’t have coal or oil, so they use what they have—which is water and geothermal energy. Seventy-five percent of Iceland’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power plants, and the rest comes from geothermal power plants. About 98% of its heat comes from geothermal power plants.”
During their stay, students conducted in-depth research on Iceland’s past, present, and future energy needs, and they capped off the program by coming up with designs for hydropower and geothermal power plants in specific locations around the country. These were not rough concepts, Andrade said, but detailed proposals that required the students to delve deeply into the technical aspects of plant design.
And they did so with the larger issue—sustainability—in mind. “If we are aiming to achieve sustainable development, then we have to be looking at renewables,” Andrade said. “But the solutions are not always simple. Hydropower, for example, can have an impact on ecosystems, as well as on people living in the areas that need to be flooded in order to build the dams. Sustainability has three pillars—environmental, economic, and social—and all three need to be considered.”
All in all, the Iceland experience “was everything I wanted: hands-on research in sustainable power, plus the most stunning landscapes and natural features I’ve ever seen,” said Sam “S.C.” Giedzinski, a junior studying mechanical engineering.
He added: "Icelanders have a deep understanding of comfort foods, so our meals were fantastic!"
It was an opportunity to experience another part of the world—and build expertise about engineering solutions that could be crucial to our planet’s future.
Just after spring semester classes wrapped up at UMD, a group of students traveled to Rejkjavik, capital of Iceland, to begin their summer studies under the guidance of civil and environmental engineering faculty member Natasha Andrade and Michael Galczynski, an instructor in the Clark School’s Keystone program. They would spend the next two weeks based in Rejkjavik, with day trips to a variety of other locations.
Why Iceland? The small, northerly island country holds particular significance for those with an interest in renewable energy: except for small diesel generators used to power fishing boats, Iceland meets all its energy needs through renewables—particularly thermal and hydroelectric.
“Iceland makes very good use of its resources,” Andrade explained. “They don’t have coal or oil, so they use what they have—which is water and geothermal energy. Seventy-five percent of Iceland’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power plants, and the rest comes from geothermal power plants. About 98% of its heat comes from geothermal power plants.”
During their stay, students conducted in-depth research on Iceland’s past, present, and future energy needs, and they capped off the program by coming up with designs for hydropower and geothermal power plants in specific locations around the country. These were not rough concepts, Andrade said, but detailed proposals that required the students to delve deeply into the technical aspects of plant design.
And they did so with the larger issue—sustainability—in mind. “If we are aiming to achieve sustainable development, then we have to be looking at renewables,” Andrade said. “But the solutions are not always simple. Hydropower, for example, can have an impact on ecosystems, as well as on people living in the areas that need to be flooded in order to build the dams. Sustainability has three pillars—environmental, economic, and social—and all three need to be considered.”
All in all, the Iceland experience “was everything I wanted: hands-on research in sustainable power, plus the most stunning landscapes and natural features I’ve ever seen,” said Sam “S.C.” Giedzinski, a junior studying mechanical engineering.
He added: "Icelanders have a deep understanding of comfort foods, so our meals were fantastic!"
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTOR AWARD
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, SPRING 2013
The Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (OGSI) Award honors over 200 UC Berkeley GSIs each year for their outstanding work in the teaching of undergraduates. Details about the award and the nomination process are posted on the main Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award page.
Criteria for the Award
Each department is asked to establish criteria and decide upon the evidence that it will use to determine the award. Criteria may include the following:
https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/award-programs/ogsi/ogsi-2013/
Criteria for the Award
Each department is asked to establish criteria and decide upon the evidence that it will use to determine the award. Criteria may include the following:
- overall effectiveness as an instructor
- ability to create inclusive learning environments
- capacity to promote critical thinking
- skills in presenting course material
- utilization of pedagogically effective approaches, for example, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, or community-based learning
- skills in developing course materials that promote learning, for example, course syllabi, website, essay or exam questions, paper topics
- command of the subject area
- ability to motivate students
- engagement in departmental and campus wide activities that enhance teaching and learning
- Evidence upon which to base the award may include the following:
- evaluations submitted by students
- letters of nomination by faculty or students
- classroom observations by faculty
- documentation of teaching excellence submitted by GSIs (e.g., course materials, a statement of teaching philosophy, a teaching portfolio)
https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/award-programs/ogsi/ogsi-2013/
BECHTEL AWARD
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SPRING 2012
Presented to a department student for demonstrated leadership and service to the student engineering community.
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