Dr. Kaitlin Mallouk, an assistant professor at the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, has earned the 2022 Distinguished Teaching Award for the Middle Atlantic Section of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). 

The Distinguished Teaching Award honors engineering educators in each region who are dedicated to serving students and who showcase overall excellence. 

Mallouk was nominated by Dr. Stephanie Farrell, an engineering professor and the founding department head. 

“Dr. Mallouk’s teaching philosophy is centered around her view of students as people first.  She stimulates intellectual excitement for engineering topics through innovative, hands-on projects while cultivating a culture where students’ individual experiences, identities and contributions are valued,” Farrell sid. “She is the exemplar of an outstanding engineering educator.” 

Mallouk has been an active member of the ASEE since 2013 and a beloved professor at Rowan University. Praise can be found on websites such as Rate My Professor where Dr. Mallouk has an overall rating of 4.1 out of five and 67% of students answered yes to “would take again.”  

“Dr. M is an amazing teacher! One of the few professors that’s genuinely invested in your success as a student and person,” one student said anonymously on the platform. “She responds to emails quickly and clearly. In general, this class is very enjoyable.”

More than grades and worksheets, Mallouk cares about her students’ well-being as a whole. 

“Caring intensely matters to me because connecting with my students is fulfilling and also the right thing to do. I remember with fondness the professors I had as a student who demonstrated they cared about my classmates and me,” Mallouk said. “I want my students to look back on their time at Rowan and remember feeling valued– and maybe some engineering design principles, too.” 

Mallouk received her undergraduate degree at Cornell University in chemical engineering. Afterward, Mallouk obtained her master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Illinois in environmental engineering and civil engineering. 

Along with knowing the stresses students face, being an educator also has its difficulties. Earning the award has been another big step for Mallouk. 

“Earning this award was very gratifying, both personally and professionally. I have spent my entire teaching career (starting as a graduate student) thinking hard about how to enhance my students’ learning and experiences and adjusting my approach as I get data about how well my plan is working,” Mallouk said. “This translates to many hours of my life being dedicated to this endeavor – being acknowledged for that effort motivates me to keep putting in the work for continuous improvement.”

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