Students initiate surprise award for professor

When industrial engineering professor Michael J. Smith and his doctoral student Maria Brunette enter the student lounge, everyone starts clapping. Smith steps to the side of the room and starts clapping too, for he thinks the applause is for Brunette.

But as the crowd gazes at Smith, he mouths under the noise, “What is this?”

The surprise is finally out: Smith is not there to attend an award ceremony for Brunette, as she had told him, but, instead, to attend one in his honor.

About a month ago, Brunette, who had just completed her doctorate degree, was telling her peers how grateful she felt to have had Smith as her adviser. “He respects you as an equal and gives you the freedom to explore your interests, challenge his ideas and talk to other professors. His door is always open,” says Brunette, who adds that Smith provided funding for her to study occupational safety and working conditions in developing countries, a research topic often overlooked by funding agencies.

“He always says, “Match your heart with what you do,'” she says.

Brunette’s listeners had similar stories, and they all wanted to recognize Smith.

“I first thought we’d have a small, informal party,” says Brunette. “But as more people wanted to be involved, the magnitude of the event grew.” Some 20 graduate students contributed to the cause, and many of Smith’s colleagues offered support. Soon they had a true award ceremony, planned for Dec. 6, complete with banners, catered food, special guests and a framed certificate signed by Chancellor John Wiley, Engineering Dean Paul Peercy and Harold Steudel, chair of Industrial Engineering.

That day, Smith received the one- time honor of “Excellence in Holistic Education,” an award established entirely by students, some of whom he’s advised. According to the students, the award recognizes Smith for his distinction as a researcher, teacher and human being.

“I’m completely flabbergasted,” exclaims Smith as he listens to Brunette enumerate his many qualities publicly. As she explains how much his support has meant to students, she begins to cry.

At the end of her speech, Smith admits, “I’m completely caught off-guard. It’s fantastic when students give you something like this and when your colleagues are there to support it.” He adds jokingly, “I’ll get even with those who knew about this and didn’t warn me!”

Among the 50 attendees who knew about the award was one of Smith’s colleagues and former students, Bentzi Karsh. Up until his junior year at UW–Madison, Karsh had been a psychology major. Then, he took an industrial engineering course with Smith:

“After the first day of class, I was hooked,” Karsh recalls. “Mike was the most engaging and inspiring professor I had as an undergraduate.” Karsh switched majors to conduct research with Smith. “I decided that if I was accepted by the UW industrial engineering department and could study with Mike, I’d stay at Madison for graduate school,” he says.

Both of those things happened. And, soon after completing his degree, he became one of Smith’s colleagues in the department. “Throughout my graduate career, Mike was a strong role model for me in teaching and research,” he says. “He was the only teacher I wanted to emulate when I became a professor.”

Karsh isn’t alone. Brunette, headed to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell to become an assistant professor in the department of work environment, also looks to Smith as her role model.

Patrick Farrell, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Engineering, describes Smith’s teaching style as “affecting students one at a time,” and notes Smith’s “ability to help them move from where they are to where they want to be.” But, as Farrell admits, professors like Smith who influence students individually often are overlooked for teaching awards.

“It’s very unusual for a group of students to recognize the value of their experience while still in school,” he says. “For us, it’s really wonderful to see them take the initiative to share that appreciation publicly.”

Smith, described by many as humble, doesn’t understand the fuss. But perhaps he’s still surprised. “It seems strange for students to say “thank you’ for being their professor,” he says. “I’m just doing my job” — a skill he attributes to his own graduate school adviser at UW–Madison, Karl Smith.

At the end of the ceremony, graduate student Farheen Khan, also indebted to Smith for his support over the years, hands him a card on behalf of nearly everyone in the room. She says, “Take good care of yourself — we all love you!”