Texas A&M Physicist Tatiana Erukhimova Recognized With Distinguished Service Award
Erukhimova’s nominators agree, stating that “[she] has shown incredible enthusiasm and dedication to educating Texas A&M undergraduate students and providing them opportunities to grow outside of the classroom. These efforts also have had immeasurable benefits for graduate students, those in the surrounding community of Texas A&M, and beyond.” Another added, “…The culture of Dr. Erukhimova’s classrooms is one of engaged, communal learning supported by innovative and research-backed pedagogy. Students are not placed in an adversarial relationship against the instructor. Rather, Dr. Erukhimova forms a community of mutual support where all students are expected to help each other learn.”
As a 2017 Texas A&M Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence and a 2021-2024 Eppright Professor in Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, Erukhimova has excelled for nearly two decades in teaching large introductory physics classes, combining high expectations with devoted support to transform the relationship her students have with physics. In addition, she is renowned for involving undergraduate and graduate students in physics education research.
Within the past two years, Erukhimova also has endeared a global audience to her charismatic brand of science education through viral physics demonstration videos that have drawn a massive following to Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy’s social media accounts. Each new video averages more than a million views, along with untold numbers of likes, shares and comments from people who are drawn to her energetic teaching style and infectious enthusiasm for all things science. She previously was recognized last month for her efforts with the 2023 American Physical Society (APS) Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach.
Erukhimova’s passion for inspiring learning through science also has motivated the creation of several innovative programs at Texas A&M that integrate education with science outreach and community service, including the DEEP (Discover, Explore and Enjoy Physics and Engineering) Program for Texas A&M graduate and undergraduate physics and engineering students, the annual Physics and Engineering Festival that attracts thousands of visitors from across the country to campus each spring and also reaches an international audience via livestream, and the popular Physics Show she’s hosted from more than 30,000 people since 2007.
This story source was originally published by Texas A&M Arts & Sciences.