The Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy is pleased to announce that Peter Hung has been awarded the inaugural R. Bruce Stewart Prize for Excellence in Teaching Physics.
Peter Hung, a graduate student in Applied Physics, has been a teaching assistant in several physics courses, including both the sophomore lab sequence and the junior/senior/graduate student sequence in classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Peter has shown true devotion to helping students learn, as evidenced by nominations from both the students themselves and by the faculty and staff he has worked with. One student sums it up rather well: " ... his superlative creativity, experience, and passion in the courses he taught distinguished him in the quality of his teaching."
Besides his formal teaching positions, Peter has been generous beyond duty, helping to make lab courses better and sometimes helping to set up lecture hall demonstrations for freshman and sophomore physics. He has touched many people in a very positive way.
In addition to Peter, the selection committee honored two students with honorable mention citations.
Tal Einav has shown a remarkable commitment to the education of his Ph1 students. He applied thoughtful methods, and constantly adapted to meet the student needs. For his efforts and inspiring performance as a TA he receives an honorable mention citation.
Matthew Hartley brought a higher level of engagement to the introductory lab class he taught. From the start he assumed an active role in the running of the lab and moved to challenge the students rather than be a passive assistant. For his outstanding performance and devotion he receives an honorable mention citation.
R. Bruce Stewart served as the founder, chairman and CEO of Arrowhead Research in Pasadena. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Stewart was a great friend to Caltech. The prize is made possible by memorial gifts made by the family and friends of Mr. Stewart, and is awarded to a graduate student teaching assistant who demonstrates, in the broadest sense, unusual ability, creativity, and innovation in undergraduate and graduate classroom or laboratory teaching of physics.