An ANU research engineer has recently been announced as a winner of the coveted 2017 Australian Awards for University Teaching.
As one of five winners from ANU, Jeremy Smith from the ANU Research School of Engineering was recognised by Minister for Education and Training, the Hon Simon Birmingham.
Mr Smith has been credited with pioneering a humanitarian approach to engineering education by taking students overseas, allowing them to apply their engineering expertise to solve local, real-world problems.
"My teaching philosophy is inspired by the power of engineering to transform lives and create positive change for individuals and entire communities," Mr Smith said.
"The need for positive change is urgent, with hundreds of millions of people lacking access to water, shelter, energy and health care and every country, including Australia, vulnerable to natural disasters and the consequences of climate change."
"Engineering and technology can address these challenges and risks, but only when engineers place human wellbeing at the centre of their practice."
A video of Mr Smith and students providing further detail on the reasoning and outcomes of this educational delivery has been published by ANU.
Jeremy’s approach is one looking to the future of socially-conscious engineering practice, and is an exciting and engaging approach for young engineering students who show an ever-increasing inclination towards addressing societal issues and engaging with communities in need.
The recognition received by Jeremy as an outstanding university teacher was also bestowed upon four other ANU teachers; Associate Professor Katrina Anderson (ANU Medical School), Dr Jason Payne (ANU Research School of Social Sciences), Dr Anna Von Reibnitz (ANU Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies & Statistics), Jeremy Smith (ANU Research School of Engineering), and Dr John Debs (ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering).
Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt congratulated the Awards for Teaching Excellence winners.
"ANU strives to provide the best possible student experience and relies upon the amazing work of our exceptional teachers," Professor Schmidt said.