Poehl Wins Schechter-Wissler-Stice Teaching Award

Professor Michael Poehl was the proud recipient of the Schechter-Wissler-Stice Teaching Award at the Holiday Banquet at the Hilton Hotel on December 9, 2011.

The award, given every other year, is named after three outstanding professors emeriti: Dr. Bob S. Schechter, James E. Stice and Eugene H. Wissler. Together they contributed 109 years of service to the department.  The award is made based on feedback from recent graduates and emphasizes the importance of teaching excellence.

“Michael has consistently recorded spectacular scores on his teaching evaluations and is always voted as the top instructor in the senior exit survey,” said Dr. Roger T. Bonnecaze, department chair and T. Brockett Hudson Professor and Bill L. Stanley Endowed Leadership Chair.

“In addition to teaching, he gives guidance to the department.  He helped us sail through our ABET accreditation and gives advice on managing research groups. Personally, I consider him one of my mentors—he has taught me all the useful stuff I know about management and negotiations.”

Poehl has been with the department since 2002 and currently teaches: CHE 354 Transport Processes; CHE 264 Chemical Engineering Process and Projects Laboratory; and CHE 473 Process Design and Operations.

“There is no honor greater than being called a good teacher,” said Poehl. “The three professors who have the award named for them have set a very lofty hurdle based on their teaching success over the years. It was a wonderful surprise to receive this award.”