Shao, Wilkers receive graduate teaching awards

Yuehan Shao, who is working on a Ph.D. in applied mathematics, and Katie Wilkers, a master’s student in kinesiology, were named Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistants for 2018-19.

The Graduate School bestows the awards, which are presented at the doctoral and master’s levels, to recognize outstanding and innovative teaching techniques.

Wilkers said she focuses on helping students “learn material instead of memorizing topics for an exam.” Shao’s focus is on building student confidence by exercising the basics.

Graduate teaching assistants play an important role, assisting department chairpersons, faculty members and other professional staff by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, including teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations and grading examinations or papers.

Judith Krauss, a faculty associate in the Graduate School, coordinates efforts to support graduate teaching assistants through the Center for Graduate Life. This includes graduate teaching assistant training offered at the start of the fall and spring semesters. She also offers workshops on a variety of teaching-related issues each semester.

Graduate students interested in obtaining a graduate research or teaching assistantship should contact their academic department directly. For more information about administrative assistantship opportunities, visit the Graduate School’s Funding for Graduate Education pages.

Photo: Yuehan Shao and Katie Wilkers.