Dr. David Paoletti selected to receive CoE Thomas M. Sawyer, Jr. Teaching award

Dr. David Paoletti has been selected to receive the 2016 – 2017 CoE Thomas M. Sawyer, Jr. Teaching Award. This award recognizes non tenure-track faculty who have demonstrated sustained excellence in instruction and guidance at the undergraduate levels.

Paoletti joined the CSE Division as a Lecturer in the fall of 2013 to teach EECS 281: Data Structures & Algorithms, a course that is considered the most important course in the computer science undergraduate program. Over the years, Paoletti has transformed the 600+ student course to be one of the best-regarded classes in the department and consistently produces well-informed and competent students. His lectures are considered to be detailed and informative and he works continuously to make the class better each semester.

During the semester, he goes above and beyond by making himself available for multiple hours to work with students one-on-one, which results in him helping over 150 individual students per week.

To prepare for the class each semester, he evaluates, hires, and mentors a teaching staff of five GSIs and two IA student instructors. He inspires his student instructors to work their hardest, and they consider teaching the class as an honor and a privilege. Those that have worked under Paoletti in EECS 281 have gone on to companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon.

Outside of the classroom, Paoletti works as a CSE undergraduate advisor to help students declare majors/minors, course advising, career planning, and evaluating graduate school options. He also serves as Chief Program Advisor, where he contributes to departmental advising policy, is responsible for arbitration of special requests, and meets regularly with CSE students on academic probation.

Dr. Paoletti has also received the EECS outstanding achievement award in 2016 and was chosen by students as the HKN CSE Professor of the Year for the 2014-2015 school year.