Faculty and staff receive distinguished university awards
In 2020, The Ohio State University presented two College of Engineering faculty and one staff member with distinguished awards for teaching, scholarship and service.
Distinguished Teaching Award
Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Arnab Nandi received a 2020 Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, which recognizes superior teaching.
Nandi is described as a dedicated, passionate educator who utilizes novel teaching methods and technology to improve student learning. For his database systems course, he created an interactive, tablet-based textbook that enables students to work through examples and more fully engage with the course content.
“I have attended several of Dr. Nandi's undergraduate databases courses—not to learn databases, but to learn to teach,” one of his colleagues wrote. “Dr. Nandi uses rich, real-world examples in his lectures. He engages four of five senses: giving students something to touch, excellent visuals, smooth lecturing styles and strong interpersonal connections.”
Known for going the extra mile for students, Nandi has also expanded experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom. He is the co-founder of the OHI/O Program, which aims to foster a tech culture at Ohio State through informal learning opportunities. The program’s signature event, Hack OHI/O, is the university’s largest hackathon, growing from 100 student participants in 2013 to over 800 in 2019.
“Prof. Nandi is an excellent teacher, who is dedicated to making sure that students not only understand the course, but also get inspired to learn more about the topics on their own,” an alum wrote. “I have never come across a teacher so capable of explaining the same concept at different depths to different students and one who won’t rest till the student truly gets it.”
An Ohio State faculty member since 2012, Nandi was also named the university’s 2020 Early Career Innovator of the Year.
Distinguished Scholar Award
Cynthia Roberts, professor of biomedical engineering and ophthalmology, received a 2020 Distinguished Scholar Award in honor of her exceptional scholarly accomplishments.
Bridging the fields of engineering and medicine, Roberts is a renowned researcher and scholar in the area of corneal biomechanics and corneal measurement technologies.
“Dr. Roberts has transformed our knowledge of the human cornea, our ability to measure it and its response to our surgical interventions. She is a truly a superstar in her field,” wrote one colleague.
Her research interests include corneal and ocular biomechanics in cornea, refractive surgery and glaucoma; in vivo measurement of corneal biomechanics and ophthalmic imaging applications.
“Dr. Roberts is widely recognized for her excellence in research and scholarly activities in biomechanics to improve refractive surgery outcomes. Her work extends beyond clinical application as her studies have also laid the foundation of understanding fundamental tissue biomechanics of this unique tissue,” another colleague stated. “In addition to her record of productivity, Dr. Roberts embodies important values as a teacher to train the next generation of clinicians and scientists.”
Among her many accolades, Roberts’ was named one of the top 100 most influential people in ophthalmology in 2018, and received the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award (2018), College of Engineering Lumley Interdisciplinary Research Award (2019) and Lans Distinguished Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery (2019) for contributions to the field of refractive surgery.
Distinguished Staff Award
Brian Strzempkowski, assistant director for the Center for Aviation Studies, received a 2020 Distinguished Staff Award, the university’s highest staff recognition. The award honors individuals for exceptional leadership, accomplishments and service to the university.
As an integral part in ensuring student success, Strzempkowski has been instrumental in making Ohio State one of 20 universities worldwide to teach the Aircraft Dispatch Program.
The Aircraft Dispatch Program offers Ohio State aviation students a pathway to potential additional career opportunities. Certified aircraft dispatchers provide essential services to airlines, communicating important information to pilots and crews before and during flights.
Strzempkowski’s dedication to implementing the program at Ohio State and enhancing national teaching methods will impact thousands of students for years to come.
Often going out of his way to research and find creative solutions, his contributions have resulted in a comprehensive curricular change and created online teaching methods that will be implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration for students nationwide. With a dedicated, humble and supportive nature, he always looks for ways to improve the program, student experience and the field of aviation.
