Moruzzi Teaching Innovation Award

Dirk Albrecht, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, received the 2016 Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award. Presented in memory of a longtime faculty member in electrical and computer engineering, the award recognizes innovation in undergraduate education. He was honored “for his innovative efforts to enhance student engagement through hands-on learning in a large enrollment bioinstrumentation course,” his citation said. Recasting a challenging course typically taken by sophomores, Albrecht developed lab assignments that students compete on their own using inexpensive Arduino kits. Students apply the principles, theory, and equations presented in class to assemble their own electrocardiograph (ECG) instrument from scratch and then test them by measuring their own heart signals. “Professor Albrecht’s ambitious and bold course redesign demonstrates that significant hands-on learning experiences are feasible in large undergraduate classes and have substantial benefits for students,” his citation noted.

This award and others for Excellence in Research, Advising, and Community Service were presented at the Honors Convocation on April 22, 2016.