Richard P.

Feynman Prize for Excellence in Teaching

OCTOBER

CELEBRATING THE

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

18, 2013

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

The Genius of Teaching

The Richard P. Feynman Prize for Excellence in Teaching, established in 1993, annually honors a professor who demonstrates, in the broadest sense, unusual ability, creativity, and innovation in undergraduate and graduate classroom or laboratory teachingqualities epitomized by Feynman, one of the worlds most brilliant theoretical physicists and original thinkers of the 20th century. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his pioneering research in quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, and particle physics, Feynman was also committed to science education and beloved by Caltech students as a friend and teacher. Dubbed the Great Explainer, Feynman invigorated undergraduate physics education at Caltech. He opposed rote learning or unthinking memorization and his guiding principle was that if a topic could not be explained in a freshman lecture, it was not yet fully understood. Feynmans four years of lectures at Caltech were edited and collected into the classic three-volume textbook, The Feynman

Lectures on Physics. He also published a

number of books for the general public, including the bestselling memoir Surely

Youre Joking, Mr. Feynman! In addition, he

served as a member of a council charged with evaluating books of mathematics and physics for primary and secondary public schools in California. Endowed through the generosity of William and Sally Hurt and Ione and Robert Paradise, the Feynman Prize consists of a cash award that is matched by an equivalent raise in the annual salary of the awardee. All professorial faculty of the Institute are eligible, and nominations for the Feynman Teaching Prize are welcome from faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, and alumni.

I dont believe I can really do without teaching...the students keep life going.
Richard P. Feynman, Surely Youre Joking, Mr. Feynman!
RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

Feynman Prize Recipients

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

John Johnson

Professor of Astronomy Harvard University

Richard Feynmans writing inspired me to pursue physics and astronomy, Johnson says. It is an amazing honor to have my name in any way associated with his. The Feynman Prize selection committee praised Johnson for his dedication, passion, and innovation in teaching as well as his ability to inspire his students. My goal is to help the students take ownership of their learning by guiding them rather than lecturing them, explains Johnson, who says he learned his teaching philosophy from physicist Ronald Bieniek

Paul Asimow

Professor of Geology and Geochemistry California Institute of Technology

In letters written by students in support of his nomination for the Feynman Prize, Asimow was commended for his exceptional energy, originality, and ability to explain complicated concepts effectively. Several students described him as the professor to whom they turn when they are confused about a paper, when they cannot agree on the answer to a scientific question, or when they are starting a new project or finishing a composition. The selection committee commended Asimow for a striking innovation in an advanced graduate class in petrology: he invites his students to vote on the subject matter of the course on the first day of the term, laying the foundation for the extensive teacher-student interaction that forms a critical part of his teaching style. Asimow described himself as utterly surprised and deeply gratified by his receipt of the Feynman Prize. The classes I teach are pretty small and specialized, says Asimow, who teaches Introduction to Geology and Geochemistry, and Thermodynamics of Geological Systems, among other courses. I never expected to be considered alongside the professors who shoulder the hard work of teaching the big classes. Im inspired by this recognition to keep putting my efforts into improving and updating what and how I teach. A member of the faculty since 1999, Asimow earned his MS and PhD at Caltech in 1993 and 1997, respectively. His research focuses on characterizing the mineralogy and melting of the earths mantle, the formation of crust, and the nature of the core-mantle boundary. Asimow credits his success in academia to a teacher he had as an undergraduate at Harvard. My own career path was determined by one incredible professor, James B. Thompson, Jr., who recently passed away, he notes. Id like to acknowledge the legacies of both Feynman and Thompson. He is as inspiring as he is informative, and a great role model for us aspiring professors, said a student in her letter nominating Asimow for the Prize. He pours his energy into describing concepts both precisely and thoroughly.

2012-2013
and that we all had such an enjoyable time in the process.

at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Im very pleased to hear that my students feel I accomplished this goal,

Johnson, who was recognized for his work as Assistant Professor of Planetary Astronomy, is known for eschewing traditional lectures and problem sets, instead having students work on problems in small groups. At various times, he has required students to explain what they were learning in a class blog, forbidden discussion of grades, emailed YouTube videos that illustrate the days material, and brought in guest lecturers to discuss the course material and provide career advice. In a nomination letter, one student wrote that Johnson rocked the boat in the astronomy department, challenging our conceptions of how astronomy, and the sciences in general, are taught. Another student wrote, Classroom experiences that are intellectually engaging, practical, and entertaining are incredibly rare. Through his teaching style, attention to detail, and unique course structure, Professor Johnson provides just such an experience. Many students cited Johnsons life-changing influence beyond academics. One called him a remarkable teacher who cannot only enlighten students in the classroom but also sculpt their spirits for their future careers. A graduate student said, He reminded mewhy I wanted to be a scientist in the first place. In 2013, Johnson accepted a position as a full professor of astronomy at Harvard University.

2011-2012

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

J. Morgan Kousser

William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of History and Social Science California Institute of Technology
In letters written by students in support of Koussers nomination for the Feynman Prize, he was commended for holding his students to high standards and driving them to excel as critical thinkers. Several students described him as one of the most inspiring and demanding instructors at the Institute, even drawing some of them to change their career paths to pursue lawa remarkable achievement in an environment so dominated by science and engineering. Under his tutelage, many Caltech

Dennis Dougherty

George Grant Hoag Professor of Chemistry California Institute of Technology

Chemistry can be a little obscure, says Dougherty. But its a subject I love, and when you are enthusiastic about something, you want to share that enthusiasm with others. I enjoy the challenge of making the field interesting and relevant. Part of that involves steering clear of what you might call some of the geekier sides of the subject. Says Dougherty, I try to focus on the bigger conceptual issues that will get students excited about the material and eager to learn more. Dougherty says that he often discusses approaches to teaching with his wife, a former teacher and now a school superintendent who calls his pedagogic style creatively traditional. His methods definitely resonate with his students. A superb teacher, research mentor, and role model to me, said one of the many who nominated him for the Feynman Prize, while another praised his exceptional clarity and explanations that always seemed to go a step farther, deeper, and beyond the normal lecture. The selection committee cited Dougherty for his exceptional ability to render difficult concepts in organic chemistry accessible to a broad cross section of undergraduate and graduate students, a skill that has led some of his students to call him the best lecturer at Caltech. A member of the Caltech faculty since 1979, Doughertys research focuses on the underlying chemistry and chemical interactions of molecules involved in learning, memory, and sensory perception, including investigating the molecular basis for nicotine addiction in the brain. In talks he has given to the general public, Dougherty employs some of the same techniques that have served him so well in Caltechs lecture halls. I want people to realize that thinking about the world at the molecular level is very valuable because chemistry has an impact on just about every aspect of our lives, he says. Weve been able to figure out such amazing things about the molecular world in the last few decades, and its fun to help people appreciate how significant those discoveries are.

2010-2011
him. Simply put, he inspires his students.

studentsmyself includedgrow from politics neophytes into judicial experts over the course of the two terms of Law 148, said

one student. Professor Koussers unique teaching style hinges on the strength of the respect his students have for

Although people outside Caltech are sometimes shocked to find that we teach history and political science, English, economics, and philosophy, says Kousser, undergraduates here can get close attention from internationally known professors much more easily than at almost any other college in the U.S. Winning the Feynman Prize is a recognition of how much great teaching goes on in the humanities and social sciences division at Caltech and how central our division is to the undergraduate experience at Caltech. A member of the Caltech faculty since 1969, Koussers research focuses on minority voting rights, the history of education, and the legal and political aspects of race relations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Kousser has served as an expert witness in 33 federal or state voting-rights cases and as a consultant in 10 others, and he testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1981 about the renewal of the Voting Rights Act. His second book, Colorblind Injustice: Minority Voting Rights and the Undoing of the Second Reconstruction won the Lillian Smith Award from the Southern Regional Council and the Ralph J. Bunche, Jr. Award from the American Political Science Association. In addition to being an outstanding professor at Caltech, he has also been a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, Harvard, Claremont Graduate University as well as the Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford in 1984-85. I get a prize every yearwatching students grow not only in knowledge, but also in fascination with topics they were barely aware of before, says Kousser. The real prize is the light in their eyes.

2009-2010

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

Jehoshua Shuki Bruck

Gordon and Betty Moore Professor of Computation and Neural Systems and Electrical Engineering California Institute of Technology
Bruck was nominated by his IST 4 students for the inaugural term of the class, which covers the evolution of information systems. Shukis lectures do an excellent job in engaging the attention of a class full of students, wrote one student in support of his nomination. With a teaching style that includes impeccably prepared lectures, detailed and informative slides, and more than a bit of entertainment, Shuki skillfully sets a very inviting stage for the students to grasp the deep concepts of the class.

Zhen-Gang Wang

Professor of Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology

Wangs students describe his lectures on thermodynamics and polymer physicsconducted without notes as amazing, insightful and incredibly clear. Wang, says one student, has an uncanny ability to cut to the heart of a question and provide an answer based on fundamentals. Says another student, He engaged me as no lecturer ever had before. The class is a journey to seek the truth with basic postulates and a passionate expert in the field to help steer us. Phenomenal instructor, master teacher, master of thermodynamics, and the quintessential Caltech professor, are some of the accolades his students have heaped on him. Before coming to Caltech, Wang had never before taught or even served as a teaching assistant. His first class, statistical mechanics, did not go well: The level was unreasonably highthe scores on exams were very low. Wang took the experience to heart and dedicated himself to improving his teaching skills. I learned over the years to adjust the level of the presentation, Wang says. You have to really understand the material well, from several different angles, and then find the best angle that would be suitable for the students. The hard work paid off. Wangs students say they appreciate his genuine interest in making students understand concepts, how he challenges them to sharpen their questions, and how he sets the intellectual bar high but gives them the means to reach it. I love teaching, says Wang, adding that he finds a sense of nobleness through training the next generation of scientists and engineers. I enjoy research and I am devoted to it, but it feels more like a hobby. But my research is theoretical; it doesnt have an immediate impact on society. Through teaching, I feel like Im having a more direct impact.

2008-2009
the theoretical study of biological circuits and systems.

A member of the Caltech faculty since 1994, Bruck was the founding director of the Information Science and Technology (IST)

program from 2003 to 2005. His research combines work on the design of distributed information systems and

Learning is an emotional process, Bruck said in a TEDx talk titled, Teaching the Past; Dreaming the Future. Teaching is an emotional process. We need to fall in love with the material. He believes that teaching needs to go back to the basics...I think we need to focus on our collective ignorance and together try to think about new ideas. I think we need to discover education motivated by curiosity and natural passion. Referencing the Caltech logo, Bruck said, You see one hand handing the fire to the other hand. The fire represents what you believe in, what you love. The fire can be your value system, your knowledge, your jokes, your lame jokesanything that you want to pass to the next generation.

2007-2008

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

10

Michael Brown

Richard and Barbara Rosenberg Professor of Planetary Astronomy California Institute of Technology
While Brown is an astronomer well known for his discovery of the dwarf planet Eris (the so-called tenth planet) and for being the self-dubbed man who killed Pluto, he was awarded the Feynman Prize for his contribution to Geology 1, a class he asked to teach because he wanted to learn the material himself. Students praise Brown for his fun and engaging lecture style. We could watch the formation of the solar system unfold in front of us, a graduate student wrote in

Thomas E. and Doris Everhart Professor of Control and Dynamical Systems and Bioengineering California Institute of Technology
Murray was a Caltech freshman attending frosh camp at Camp Fox on Catalina Island when he first encountered Richard Feynman. I was sitting down, looking across a field, and a professor sat down next to me and started talking about some shells he had found while he was swimming. Lo and behold, it was Richard Feynman although I was an engineering student and not in physics, and Im not sure I knew who he was at the time. That willingness to talk to a student typified his approach to teaching. Such willingness to engage and encourage students also typifies Murrays own approach to teaching. The Feynman Prize Selection Committee singled out Murray for his enthusiasm, responsiveness, and innovation in the classroom and for his contribution to the undergraduate experience through teaching outside the conventional classroom. Murray was also commended for his determination to make sure his students understand the material he teaches. For example, he encourages students to anonymously fill out index cards, dubbed Mud cards, at the end of each class, asking questions about anything they found confusing (or muddy). Answers to the students questions are posted on the class website the same day. This commitment to learning is not lost on Murrays students. In all my classes I have never before had a professor that was so dedicated to answering students questions and making sure that students understood the material, wrote one undergraduate in nominating Murray for the award. Another student praised Murray for his infectious and boundless enthusiasm and perseverance for everything he is involved in and an exceptional talent for leadership. Yet another said that Murray is without a doubt one of the most talented teachers I have ever met.

Richard Murray

2006-2007
observation.

support of his nomination for the Feynman Prize, like a good book that we couldnt put down. One of Browns teaching innovations

was an assignment that required students to travel to nearby Eaton Canyon in order to answer problems by

Surprisingly, Brown describes teaching as terrifying. Its the most stressful thing I do. I have given countless presentations over the years about my research, but talking at the Air and Space Museum is nothing like the classroom experience. One challenge in teaching is the Caltech culture itself, Brown says. The school is legendary for the high expectations placed on students. Not surprisingly, the students in turn are themselves very astute and quite capable of discriminating between really effective teaching strategies and mediocre ones. Around here, you always feel like youre just keeping your head above water when you lecture students, he says. You cant teach and not have some off days, and you know all too well when youre having oneits easy to see when the students are engaged and when theyre not. I guess thats why I try so hard to teach well.

2005-2006

11

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

12

Christopher Brennen

Richard L. and Dorothy M. Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Emeritus California Institute of Technology
There is nothing quite as rewarding as when you happen to teach a really good class or when some student says to you, I really thought that was neat or is sometimes excessively appreciative of something you have done for them or of the time you have taken to explain something to them, Brennen says. There is something so fundamentally rewarding about that, that its difficult for me to see how to get it from any other possible source. I love when [students] ask questions, says

George Rossman

Eleanor and John R. McMillian Professor of Mineralogy California Institute of Technology

George had a way of making everything in mineralogy fun and interesting, says one former student of Rossmans introductory mineralogy course (Ge 114). Other students praise Rossman as probably the best, clearest, and most exciting teacher they have ever had. Other students note that Rossman is such a great lecturer that he can make the class and each mineral very funny, and that he is probably the best professor at Caltech. Rossmanwho collected rocks as a boybelieves that minerals are inherently interesting subject matter for the classroom. Students relate to tangible, visible items, says Rossman, who often uses specimens from his personal collection in his classes. For me, the minerals are a beautiful entry into the science, because the beautiful colors and shapes are always due to underlying scientific principles. Nature has the ability to bring together a large number of the elements of the periodic table, and combine them under different pressure and temperature conditions for some really spectacular results. Rossmans research interests involve the study of how electromagnetic radiation interacts with minerals. His labs work concentrates on the visible and infrared, but past research has involved pretty much every other region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our goals include understanding at a very basic level the nature of the interactionin other words, how we can use photons to study minerals, he says. In addition to recognition for his outstanding performance in the classroom, Rossman has received numerous research awards, including the FriedrichBecke Medal by the sterreichische Mineralogische Gesellschaft and the Dana Medal by the Mineralogical Society of America. Additionally, Rossman is a fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America.

2004-2005
that goes beyond just writing something on the board.

Brennen, who served as Master of Student Houses from 1983 to 1987 and as Dean of Students from 1988-1992, because it gives

you a way of figuring out how much theyre really taking in and how much theyre not. It gives you a relationship

In announcing Brennens receipt of the Feynman Prize, Caltech Vice Provost Melany Hunt said, He has shown us the importance of connecting with students, of encouraging their interests and their abilities, and of enjoying and appreciating student-faculty interactions. He has also demonstrated that it is okay to be a little crazy such as riding a bicycle into a swimming poolespecially if it helps students to appreciate the wonder of fluid mechanics and engineering.

2003-2004

13

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

14

Niles Pierce

Professor of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Bioengineering California Institute of Technology
Now a full professor, Pierce was an assistant professor when he was awarded the Feynman Teaching Prizeone of only two assistant professors to be thus honored. Pierce was recognized for his teaching of ACM 95/100, a combined graduate- and undergraduate-level applied mathematics course. His award citation noted that Pierce teaches without oversimplifying and without intimidating, making the material accessible to this diverse group of students

Joseph Kirschvink

Nico and Marilyn Van Wingen Professor of Geobiology California Institute of Technology
In their letter nominating Kirschvink for the Feynman Prize, two students attributed his popularity among undergraduates as a reflection of his fundamental teaching philosophy: he treats students like colleagues. Kirschvink was noted for inviting students to interrupt him with questions at any time and for explaining and re-explaining concepts, holding to a standard of unanimous understanding. Students also praised his determination to leave no student behind. Kirschvink believes it was his own experience as a Caltech alumBS and MS in 1975that contributes to his classroom rapport. As an undergrad here, I know the capabilities of the students, he says. In all of his classes, Kirschvink employs the Socratic method of doubting and questioning statements. It is a technique he learned, he says, from the late Gene Shoemaker (co-discoverer of the Shoemaker-Levy comet that hit Jupiter), one of his professors from his own days as a Caltech student. Kirschvink frequently involves undergraduates in his research. His major contributions include snowball Earth: the theory that the entire planet may have frozen over several times in its history, potentially causing some of the most severe crises in the history of life on Earth, and perhaps stimulating evolution. Another original concept pioneered by Kirschvink concerns the Cambrian evolutionary explosion, which he believes may have been precipitated in part by a large burst of true polar wander, i.e., in which the earths rotational axis moved to the equator in a geologically short interval of time.

2002-2003

and possesses an uncanny ability to anticipate the frustrations and challenges of the students.

Pierce attributes his teaching style to learning from his mother, who he describes as an extraordinary teacher. I wanted to communicate in a way that students would become excited by the ideas of applied and computational mathematics, says Pierce. Of course, some material is hard to love, and I try to be honest with the students. If I really like a certain topic, I explain why. If were talking about a subject that I think is boring, there better be a good reason, and I give it. My favorite lectures are the ones where the material is potentially hard to understand or absorb. Its not much fun to give a lecture if theres nothing challenging to explain and discuss.

2001-2002

15

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

16

David Stevenson

Marvin L. Goldberger Professor of Planetary Science California Institute of Technology

Stevenson was honored by the selection committee for improving the existing Geology 1 class. I was challenged, said Stevenson, by the difficulty of constructing a course that would be attractive to a wide range of students, yet not be too conventionalnot just a set of lectures. In practice, its hard to avoid routine approaches; you want students to learn to think, which means that the problems in the exams, homework, and projects should not be merely routine applications of standard book work. Stevenson revamped Geology 1 to include concepts from evolution, biology, and chemistry as well as incorporating small group projects, each led by an individual professor, along

Don Cohen

Charles Lee Powell Professor of Applied Mathematics, Emeritus California Institute of Technology
Cohen, who took emeritus status in 2003, was a popular advisor and mentor at Caltech, known not only for his scientific expertise but also for his ability to entertain, engage, and challenge students. For more than 20 years, he guided Caltech undergraduates through the AMa 95 and AMa 101 applied mathematics course sequences, standing out as a teacher for his construction of assignments and exams that not only tested students ability to reproduce a previously seen method of solution, but also challenged them to apply their accumulated knowledge in creative and innovative ways. The Feynman Prize selection committee lauded Cohen for his special ability to make the analysis of even complicated problems seem easy. His playful style in solving problems always entertained, engaged, and challenged students. As perhaps the best testament to his teaching, one student wrote in support of his nomination: In short, if Cohen is teaching it, you want to take it! In addition to the Feynman Prize, Cohen received awards for undergraduate teaching excellence in 1979, 1987 and 1998. Cohens students appreciated his quick wit and entertaining quips. Examples include:

2000-2001
students to 165.

with field trips to give students the opportunity of first-hand observation. The result, the selection committee noted, was to create a lasting impression of how geology research is done,

how our Earth was created, and how our environment evolves. As a result, class enrollment increased from 20

Stevenson notes that teaching is also helpful to him. Teaching helps the teacher as well as the student. This is especially true of people who are more theoretically inclined in their research, because that kind of research is helped by looking at things with a fresh approach.

Nothings happening at infinity. Infinity is Kansas City, maybe. Stopping at this point in the problem is worse than stopping at the beginning. The answer is no, but it usually turns out in applications you can get away with it for a while.
Cohen was also well-known among students for his athletic prowess and often participated with students in activities such as tennis, white water rafting, and hiking.

1999-2000

17

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

18

Emlyn Hughes

Professor of Physics Columbia University

Over and above being a good lecturer, said Ken Libbrecht, then executive officer for the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, who nominated Hughes for the Feynman Prize, Professor Hughes obviously applies a great deal of creativity to his teaching. He jumps around, throws things, has an evil twin brother, and spends time in nearly every lecture telling insightful stories about physics, and about life in general. A former professor of physics at Caltech, Hughes was lauded by the selection committee for his outstanding ability to

Barbara Imperiali

Class of 1922 Professor of Biology and Chemistry Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Then a professor of chemistry, Imperiali was cited by the selection committee as demonstrating in the broadest sense, unusual ability, creativity, and innovation in undergraduate and graduate classroom and laboratory teaching. She excels at every level, as a lively lecturer in introductory and upper level chemistry courses and as an inspirational mentor for research students. She designed a new lecture course in bioorganic chemistry and an innovative laboratory course that introduces undergraduates to the techniques of peptide and DNA synthesis and characterization. A student described Imperiali as dynamic and intense, and it is impossible not to be drawn into the subject matter by someone who is so obviously excited by the material. Imperiali was also cited by the selection committee for consistently expressing her concern for the welfare of her students and her respect for them as individuals. In addition to the Feynman Teaching Prize, Imperiali is the recipient of several other teaching awards, including the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT) Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2010, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In 1999, Imperiali accepted a position as Professor of Biology and Professor of Chemistry at the

1998-1999
quality to the teaching of this difficult subject.

teach the mysterious nature of quantum mechanics to a broad audience, as evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive

student feedback from Ph2, a core course in sophomore physics. Students described Hughes as charismatic, entertaining, and rad in course evaluations. Hughes, the selection committee said, brings a Feynman-like

Since 2006, Hughes has served on the faculty at Columbia University. His research is focused on the study of new particles and new interactions using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland.

1997-1998

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on a multidisciplinary approach involving synthesis, state-of-the-art spectroscopy, molecular modeling, enzymology, and molecular biology to address fundamental problems at the interface of chemistry and biology.

19

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

20

R. David Middlebrook

Professor of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus California Institute of Technology

A distinguished international lecturer who spent more than 40 years as an educator, Middlebrook, who passed away in 2010, was particularly noted for presenting complex material in a simple, interesting, effective, and entertaining manner. He was a founder of Caltechs Power Electronics Group, which under his guidance graduated 36 PhDs and hundreds of MS and BS students. Dozens of former studentsincluding working engineers, university professors, and company presidentswrote glowing letters supporting Middlebrooks

Yaser Abu-Mostafa

Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science California Institute of Technology

Professor Abu-Mostafa has consistently demonstrated that no-frills teaching is not a lost art, noted the Feynman Award selection committee. Year after year, using only chalk and voice as media, he has tamed Caltechs challenging curriculum for a very grateful group of students. He takes a multi-faceted approach to every topic, often fooling his students into mastering even the most difficult material. As a graduate student here he began to demonstrate a gift for teachingundoubtedly encouraged by the learning environment around him. Now he enriches this environment himself. In addition to being awarded the Feynman Teaching Prize, Abu-Mostafa was a recipient of the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT) Teaching Excellence Award in 1986, 1989 and 1991, the Keck Foundation Teaching Award in 1994, and the Caltech Graduate Student Council Teaching Award in 1995. Demonstrating his dedication to innovative teaching, Abu-Mostafa has made his entire Machine Learning Course (CS 156)including 18 lectures, homework and textbookavailable online via iTunes, YouTube and his personal website. In addition, he taught Caltechs first massive open online course (MOOC), Learning from Data, which enrolled more than 200,000 participants.

1996-1997
the peripherals!

nomination for the Feynman Teaching Prize. He did not only teach analog circuit design, wrote one student, but a far more

important concept: he taught us how to think! He taught us how to concentrate immediately on the essentials of a problem...But when you think about it, isnt it the way we should tackle large research problems? Isnt this the way we should even handle family life matters? Basically, concentrate on the essentials and do not get fooled by

In addition to teaching at Caltech, Middlebrook taught a course, Structured Analog Design, that was attended by design engineers and managers from the United States, Canada, and Europe at such companies as Analog Devices, AT&T, Boeing, Ericsson, Hewlett Packard, Hughes Aircraft, IBM, Motorola, Philips, Tektronix, and TRW. Middlebrook is also known for writing a pioneering transistor textbook that included mathematical models to help engineers use transistors in their circuit designs.

1995-1996

Abu-Mostafa also directs Caltechs Learning Systems Group, which brings together students in electrical engineering, computer science, computation and neural systems, and physics, to design electronic systems that can be trained to perform various tasks.

21

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

22

Visiting Associate in Mechanical and Civil Engineering California Institute of Technology

Antonsson created ME 72, Caltechs Engineering Design Laboratory, with a simple purpose: to help students learn about the design of new things, and the solution of open-ended, ill-defined problems. The selection committee described the class as so popular that students literally camp out the night before registration to be assured a place. The students work very, very hard; they do not complain; they have a good time; and they learn a tremendous amount,

Erik Antonsson

Robert H. Goddard Professor of Physics California Institute of Technology

When describing his teaching technique, Tombrello says, Somehow youve got to figure out if the message is getting through, and if its not getting through to all of them, can you, on the spot, change the message a little bit and try something different? Its an adaptive process. There isnt any one answer, because different people learn things in very different ways. In honoring Tombrello as the first recipient of the Feynman Prize, the selection committee said that throughout his career, Professor Tombrello has abundantly demonstrated the qualities that define the Prize. The Institute is very fortunate to have a teacher and mentor of his quality. The selection committee took particular note of two innovative courses he introduced to the curriculum: One, Physics 10, Frontiers in Physics, is a weekly seminar in which faculty members who use physics frequently in their research discuss their work. The class is intended to give students an up-to-date perspective on the discipline and its applications, as well as an appreciation of what it means to use and practice physics. The second course, Physics 11, Research Tutorial, grew out of twenty-five years of successful classroom teaching. Tombrello decided that what many Caltech students needed was to learn to integrate what they learned in the classroom and apply it broadly and to think critically about how original research problems are formulated and developed. He chose as a vehicle a tutorial/seminar group format in which each week the students must describe their research and defend it in a collegial exchange. To do this effectively, the students must be motivated to take an active part in the process; thus, admission to the class is on the basis of their performance on a pair of challenging contest problems done during the first quarter of their freshman year. Those admitted to Physics 11 have to spend a calendar year in the course, which finishes at the end of the fall term of their sophomore year. During this year they do an original research problem, many of which lead to publication in scientific journals. This course is now in its 24th year. Tombrello joined Caltechs faculty as a research fellow in 1961 after earning his BA in 1958 and his PhD in 1961 from Rice University, becoming a full professor in 1971. His research interests include ion-beam analysis and modification of materials, and dynamical studies of ion-solid interactions.

Tom Tombrello

1994-1995

wrote the previous years Feynman winner, Tom Tombrello, in support of Antonssons nomination for the Prize. This is truly the

essence of extraordinary teaching skill. Dick Feynman never took the ordinary or expected path in solving a problem, and that gave us wonderful new ways of looking at the world. Erik has taught in an unusual way and done what we all strive to doexcept the result is better than most of us manage. Antonsson is currently a visiting associate in Caltechs department of Mechanical Engineering and Corporate Director of Technology at the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Past positions he has held include Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chief Technologist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

1993-1994

23

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

24

recipients of the Richard p. Feynman prize for eXcellence in teaching 1993 - 2013
2012-2013 John Johnson, Planetary Astronomy 2011-2012 Paul Asimow, Geology and Geochemistry 2010-2011 Morgan Kousser, History and Social Science 2009-2010 Dennis Dougherty, Chemistry 2008-2009 Shuki Bruck, Computation and Neural Systems and Electrical Engineering 2007-2008 Zhen-Gang Wang, Chemical Engineering 2006-2007 Michael Brown, Planetary Astronomy 2005-2006 Richard Murray, Control and Dynamical Systems 2004-2005 Christopher Brennen, Mechanical Engineering 2003-2004 George Rossman, Mineralogy 2002-2003 Niles Pierce, Applied and Computational Mathematics 2001-2002 Joseph Kirschvink, Geobiology 2000-2001 David Stevenson, Planetary Science 1999-2000 Donald Cohen, Applied Mathematics 1998-1999 Emlyn Hughes, Physics 1997-1998 Barbara Imperiali, Chemistry 1996-1997 R. David Middlebrook, Electrical Engineering 1995-1996 Yaser Abu-Mostafa, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 1994-1995 Erik Antonsson, Mechanical Engineering 1993-1994 Tom Tombrello, Physics
For more information on the Feynman Prize: www.provost.caltech.edu/FeynmanTeachingPrize.com Produced by the Office of Advancement Communications Layout and written by Alisa Rivera PICTURE CREDITS
Cover: photo from Feynman Lectures on Physics and courtesy of the Caltech Archives; 1, photo courtesy of the Caltech Archives; 2, photo from Feynman Lectures on Physics and courtesy of the Caltech Archives; 3, photo courtesy of the Caltech Archives; 5-11, photos courtesy of Caltech Marketing and Communications; 12, photo courtesy of Richard Murray; 13-15 photos courtesy of Caltech Marketing and Communications; 16, photo courtesy of Joseph Kirschvink; 17, photo courtesy of David Stevenson; 18 photo courtesy of the Division of Engineering and Applied Science; 19 photo courtesy of Caltech Marketing and Communications; 20, photo courtesy of Barbara Imperiali; 21, photo courtesy of Division of Engineering and Applied Science; 22, photo courtesy of Yaser Abu-Mostafa; 23, photo courtesy of Caltech Marketing and Communications; 24, photo courtesy of Tom Tombrello; back cover, photo courtesy of Caltech Marketing and Communications.
Photo courtesy of Bob Paz

Special thanks to Adam Cochran, Michelle Feynman, Lance Hayashida, and the ENGenious staff.

25

RICHARD P. FEYNMAN PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

26

27

1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, California 91125 www.caltech.edu