We are pleased to announce that Seth Kriz has been selected to represent Michigan Technological University for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Excellence in Teaching Award! Congratulations to Seth on this significant achievement!
Seth’s journey is a testament to his dedication to both research and teaching. He shares a powerful anecdote about his early college experience that ignited his passion for engineering and ultimately led him to Michigan Tech. A pivotal moment involved his engineering physics professor, Professor Joe, who spent two hours helping him debug a program. This experience instilled in Seth a deep appreciation for the impact of dedicated teaching.
Inspired by Professor Joe and other mentors, Seth pursued his own passion for education. He began as a writing center coach and later became the student coordinator of the chemical engineering learning center at Michigan Tech. His graduate advisor, Dr. Caryn Heldt provided him with the opportunity to teach a senior-level bioprocessing elective during the challenging lockdown period. This marked the beginning of his formal teaching career. Since then, Seth has served as instructor of record for four upper-level courses.
Seth’s philosophy of teaching strives to inspire his students, just as he was inspired, while also recognizing the valuable contributions they bring to the learning process. He believes that:
- Effective teaching is student-centered.
- Effective teaching is inspirational and empowering.
- Effective teaching is a symbiotic relationship between an instructor and students.
We wish him the best of luck in the competition! His words resonate with the core values of education, highlighting the importance of mentorship, inspiration, and the dynamic exchange of knowledge.
Learn more about the MAGS awards and Mentoring resources to help you succeed.