Two Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science (COES) graduate students received the 2021 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards during a ceremony hosted by the COES Graduate Student Council.

Jennifer Cox and Dileon Saint Jean, both doctoral students in the Computational Analysis and Modeling program, were nominated by Engineering and Science faculty and selected for their teaching techniques and the positive effect their instruction has on students.

Cox is the instructor of record for MATH 125 – Algebra for Management and Social Sciences, a class aimed at helping students that are enrolled in majors outside the College of Engineering and Science understand basic algebra.

“I really enjoy teaching math to non-COES students and helping them see and appreciate how the concepts we are learning in class can be applied in their majors/areas of study,” Cox said. “I felt very prepared for my role as an instructor because of the training I received at Louisiana Tech during my undergraduate studies in the UTeach and Mathematics and Statistics programs.”

Saint Jean is a teacher’s assistant for General Physics 1 Lab (Phys 261), an introductory physics lab that helps students build an experimental foundation for theoretical concepts taught in General Physics 1. He helps small groups of students during the labs, grades coursework, and corresponds with students about any issues that they may have.

“I try to make the material engaging by using real-life examples that the students can relate to,” Saint Jean said. “The goal is to allow them to see how what they are learning can be applied in real-life situations.

“I am a firm believer that experience is the best teacher. My past experiences as a student have allowed me to visualize how I thrived most in a class and apply that to my own teaching style. Teaching labs at Louisiana Tech has helped develop my teaching style because I can receive instant feedback from the students on whether or not they understand concepts.”

In addition to the teaching awards, the Graduate Student Council presented a career talk and recognized students who have graduated over the last year, as well as those who will graduate this spring.