Computer Science Faculty Honored at UH Evening of Faculty Excellence


Computer Science Faculty Honored at UH Evening of Faculty Excellence
Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring Undergraduate Research Recognized

On April 24, five Computer Science faculty members and instructors brought home honors for their excellence in the areas of teaching and mentoring undergraduate research.

The awards, given each year at the “Evening of Faculty Excellence,” are one of the highest honors bestowed by the University of Houston. All winners receive a cash prize.

Rakesh Verma – Lifetime Faculty Award for Mentoring Undergraduate Research

Rakesh Verma was honored for his continuing dedication to mentoring undergraduate research. This UH career award acknowledges a professor’s exceptional efforts over a number of years demonstrating a lasting commitment to undergraduate research. Verma received a trophy and a $3,000 prize.

“Participation in research is an important component of undergraduate education in the field of Computer Science; often it does not get the attention it deserves,” said Jaspal Subhlok, chairman of the Department of Computer Science. “I am very glad Dr. Verma’s long-standing dedication to mentoring, that has impacted so many students over the years, has been recognized.”

Interactive Game Development Program – Teaching Excellence Award for Group Teaching

The members of the Interactive Game Development Program – Chang H. Yun, Jose Baez-Franceschi, Zhigang Deng and Olin Johnson – received UH’s Teaching Excellence Award for Group Teaching. The award recognizes a cluster of faculty in both formal and informal programs who demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching and student success, who have worked together collaboratively to improve student outcomes, and who demonstrate effective and innovative teaching. The team received a trophy and a $30,000 prize.

“The achievements of the gaming group in the Computer Science department are legendary. In just around 5 years, they have developed an innovative game education program that is extremely popular with students and has won national acclaim. The honor of a Teaching Excellence Award is richly deserved," Subhlok said.