Getting the manufacturing and engineering into the heads of students early on is a goal of many automation companies. And that means getting automation technology into their hands. National Instruments is proud of the fact that same NI hardware and software technology used by more than 35,000 companies is also used in more than 6,000 universities around the world. The company also enjoys celebrating the educators that help them do that. In September, at this year’s Excellence in Engineering Education Awards, NI recognized six educators for their innovative approach to teaching engineering.
Martin Levesley, Leeds University. Professor Levesley incorporates LabVIEW, cRIO, DAQ, and myRIO in his teaching at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. The university’s curriculum reform efforts made Leeds one of only three institutions to receive a commendation for enhancement of student learning opportunities, the highest honor from the UK Quality Assurance Agency.
Kevin Lavign. Lavigne is a dedicated teacher who started his education career in Boston and then moved across the world to teach in China. In both countries, Lavigne introduced his students to LabVIEW and myDAQ to ensure that they get relevant hands-on experience.
Mike Yakubovsky, Coppell High School. Yakubovsky teaches high school in the Dallas area and has been described as a “rock star educator”. He is involved with the Solar Car Race using CompactRIO and LabVIEW and implemented a LabVIEW Academy at the high school level.
Harry Powell, University of Virginia. Professor Powell has utilized LabVIEW and NI DAQ in a wide range of implementations, from his own doctoral research to several different student course topics. He’s always willing to try new things and was one of the first professors to use myRIO in a course.
Danielle George, University of Manchester. Professor George is dedicated to making sure her students are satisfied with their education. She led her department to implement LabVIEW, ELVIS, Multisim, and myDAQ in Electrical and Electronic Engineering courses at the University of Manchester. After incorporating NI technology into the course, Dr. George noticed immediate improvement in student engagement, which increased from 67 percent to 98 percent.
Bonnie Ferri, Georgia Tech. Professor Ferri used myDAQ and NI software to improve the learning experience of students across many courses, including Electrical Engineering for Non-Majors, Circuits, and Signals and Systems. She’s always looking for innovative approaches to learning and has been described as a “thought leader” at her university.
