Professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science Matthew Davies is one of five finalists for the 2016 Bank of American Award for Teaching Excellence, one of UNC Charlotte’s highest accolades.
Davies, along with the other finalists Anita Blanchard, associate professor of psychology and organization science; Jae Emerling, associate professor of art and art history; Janos Gergely, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Daniel Jones, associate professor of chemistry; are being featured in Inside UNC Charlotte prior to the naming of this year’s recipient at a formal ceremony on Friday, Sept. 9.
Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2001, Davies has strived to provide students with a classroom environment that maximizes learning while promoting self-confidence and ethics in the practice of engineering and research. His approach, aimed at the expansion of knowledge, technical capability and understanding of mechanical and optical engineering principles, is learner-centered and relies on continuous feedback between teacher and student.
He solicits feedback and encourages the open exchange of ideas in his classroom through the establishment of a voluntary Class Improvement Committee (CIC) for each course. Comprised of five to seven student volunteers, the CIC surveys the entire class and suggests ways to structure the course. The committee’s feedback influences everything from the choice of textbook to the appropriate time for office hours.
Using a combination of classroom demonstrations, lecture notes and online videos to introduce complex concepts to students, Davies has a goal that his students leave his classroom trusting their intuition but also developing the analytical skills to support that intuition. For Davies, the key to engineering education is connecting mathematical solutions to real-world phenomena. For this reason, he involves undergraduates in his own research projects. He also holds extensive review sessions for students to solidify their understanding of course material.
Scott Smith, professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, stated, “I have personally observed several of Dr. Davies’ well-attended review sessions. They are truly outstanding. I have seen so many students have ‘light bulb moments’ during those reviews. I returned several times myself, even though I know the material, just because it was so interesting to hear Dr. Davies’ insights.”
As a mentor, Davies treats student design teams like an engineering dynamics problem. “They are akin to controlling a dynamic system that is very maneuverable, can tap into a boundless energy source, but is inherently unstable. Undergraduate teams harness tremendous energy, creativity and idealism and allow students to develop their extremely novel ideas with only occasional prodding in the right direction.”
Senior mechanical engineering major Paul Anderson, stated that “while taking his class, I was inspired by Dr. Davies’ charisma, wealth of knowledge and positive attitude toward teaching students. As a team mentor, Dr. Davies continues to provide excellent feedback on our design and is always pitching ideas to increase its efficiency.”
Davies was the 2005 recipient of the Lee College of Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award and the 2007 recipient of the Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship in Teaching. He completed a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Cornell University. His bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering is from Carnegie Mellon University.