Making the grade

Dr. Brian McCartin, professor of Applied Mathematics at Kettering, is "Michigan's Math Professor of the Year." McCartin was awarded the state's highest Mathematics teaching honor at the college/university level, the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, May 7 at the Michigan Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) annual meeting, at Oakland University.

Receiving the Michigan award automatically makes him the Michigan Section candidate for the National MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, to be announced in January 2005.

"I have had many honors in my career," said McCartin, "but this is by far the biggest ever. The only thing that comes close to it is my 2001 Kettering Outstanding Teaching Award," he said. "Upon my arrival at Kettering, I quickly became aware of the high standard of teaching excellence set by senior members of the Science and Mathematics faculty such as Duane McKeachie and Reggie Bell. I have simply striven to follow their excellent example," he added.

McCartin was nominated for the Michigan award by former student Paul Young, a 2000 graduate of Kettering. He nominated McCartin because he felt "Dr. McCartin goes above and beyond his responsibilities as a professor. The greatest evidence of Dr. McCartin's extraordinary successful teaching comes directly from his students," said Young.

McCartin was chosen by students for the Kettering University Outstanding Teacher Award in 2001, and the Kettering University Outstanding (Greek) Chapter Advisor in both 2001 and 2002. He has also served as Faculty Academic Advisor to Delta Tau Delta Fraternity for three years and is the founder of Kettering's chapter of Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society.

McCartin has also maintained an active program involving undergraduates in research activities, and has published 12 papers with six different Kettering undergraduates, most of whom have gone on to graduate school and two who have gone on to become teachers at the university level.

Outside of academic pursuits, McCartin has been continuously involved in a variety of student activities. He has volunteered his time to be apart of Adopt-A-School, Adopt-A-Highway, Family Feud (faculty vs. students), Inter-fraternity Council Pledge Orientation and New Student Orientation. He has also participated as a Graduation Marshal, a member of the selection committee for Robots Honor Society (Kettering's oldest and most selective society), and as a committee member tasked with devising the Strategic Plan for Student Life.

"I am very fortunate to have had Dr. Brian McCartin as a professor while attending Kettering University as an undergraduate student," said Young. "He is undoubtedly the best mathematics professor I ever had. His teaching style allows students to not only successfully learn the material, but also think critically about it and apply it. My college career was enriched by just knowing him," Young said. He is confident McCartin will be a national teaching award recipient in 2005.

Written by Dawn Hibbard
(810) 762-9865
dhibbard@kettering.edu

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