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2008 Award - Call for Nominations

In a letter to President Mark Emmert, Dean Suzanne T. Ortega announces the Distinguished Mentor Award recipient for 2007.

A list of previous recipients is made available here.

 Telephone: (206)543-5900
Fax: (206)685-3234

February 13, 2007

Dr. Mark Emmert

President

301 Gerberding Hall

Box 351230

Dear Mark:

I would like to recommend that Dr. Rajendra K. Bordia, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, be selected as the recipient of the 2007 Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award.  This letter is to convey the background information upon which the selection was made.  The selection committee reviewed over 270 letters of nomination for 40 members of the University of Washington Graduate Faculty.  In addition to myself, the ad hoc committee that reviewed the nominations included:

·  Professor and Chair, Tom Daniel, Biology, 2002 award recipient

·         Associate Vice Provost for Research, David Eaton, School of Public Health and Community Medicine

·         GPSS President, Kimberly Friese, Public Health Genetics

·         Associate Dean, Juan Guerra, The Graduate School

·         Divisional Dean, Judy Howard, College of Arts and Sciences, 2001 award recipient

·         Professor Joel Migdal, Jackson School of International Studies, 2006 Award recipient

·         Professor Lesley Olswang, Speech and Hearing Sciences, 2006 Award Recipient

·         Professor Noel Weiss, Epidemiology, 1999 award recipient

A number of the nominees received multiple letters expressing glowing praise for their mentors. In the course of the committee’s deliberations, three candidates emerged as being uniquely worthy of recognition.  In addition to Professor Bordia, the finalists for the award were Professor Peter May (Professor, Political Science), Professor Thomas Quinn (Professor, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences), and Professor Richard Strathmann (Professor, Biology).

The call for nominations noted that, “...the relationship between a graduate student and a faculty advisor is one that can have a profound lifelong influence on both parties.  At its best, this mentoring relationship inspires and gives confidence to the student while providing the faculty member with a valued colleague.”  Professor Migdal has been nominated annually, since the inception of the award in 1999, for the Distinguished Mentor Award and last year he was one of those given “honorable mention.”  

The enclosed letters nominating Professor Bordia from his students and colleagues are effusive in their praise and certainly impressed the selection committee.  It is difficult to condense the quotes from letters which contained so many inspirational remarks.  The following are a few of the quotes from his supporting nomination letters.

·         A graduate student, "One of Raj's best qualities as a mentor is that he realizes that this is my experience.  He guides me in my research by asking though-provoking questions, introducing me to helpful contacts in industry or academia, and constantly challenging me to achieve more, but then he also knows the exact moment where he needs to step back and let me do this myself.  This allows me to truly own my education and experience and has also given me a truer sense of pride in my work, development, and accomplishments." 

·         A recent Bordia Ph.D. graduate writes, "As a new face to UW and Seattle--a huge university in a big city--I was feeling somewhat apprehensive about my choice of locales.  However, within the first few weeks, Prof. Bordia hosted one of his summer BBQ's at his home and introduced me not only to our entire research group, but also his family and several group alumni."  She goes on to say, "He also leads by example:  recently I underwent surgery. . .  he also called my parents, who live on the east coast, to let them know that he was willing to help in any way necessary during the time that they could not be with me."  Additionally, the writer comments, "I recently received a 2-year postdoctoral research position in Germany.  He has already offered his support for my job search once I complete my post-doc and return to the USA."

·         A former student writes of Bordia, "It makes a big difference to have a faculty member who can cross the boundary between student and professor and relate to you as a person."

·         A colleague wrote, "Raj is a brilliant intellectual with cool disposition.  His ability to penetrate deeply into the core of the research problems in a very short time amazed me many times. . .  He not only provides solutions to the research problems but also provides a glimpse of the process by which he arrives at solutions thereby providing an opportunity to the student to develop intellectually."  The letter also states, "Raj is a thorough professional on one side and embodiment of some of the best and finest human qualities on the other side. . .  If a person is a former student of Prof. Raj Bordia, he/she can expect guidance, support and encouragement from him throughout his/her life."

·         From a former students, "After I left the UW for Northwestern University as a postdoc fellow, he keeps in touch with me and provides valuable advice and assistance for my academic career."

·         Another colleague writes of Bordia, ". . . we served as. . . principle investigators. . . for the NSF-funded ECSEL, a coalition composed of seven engineering schools with the mission of engineering curriculum reform.  We both cherish very much this unique collaborative experience through ECSEL, a coalition composed of seven engineering schools with the mission of engineering curriculum reform.  We both cherish very much this unique collaborative experience through ECSEL in helping our respective school of engineering re-address many educational /research issues such as student-centered teaching-learning and research-mentoring processes, integrated-design-oriented curricula, student recruitment/retention, especially of women and underrepresented minorities."  Additionally, he writes, "The research findings by Raj and his former and current graduate students have expanded significantly the scientific frontiers... Many of his former graduate students have become scholars of their own right.  A fact, in my view, is mainly due to the highest quality of mentoring they received from Raj." 

·         A former doctoral student writes, "I was privileged to have been Professor Bordia's first graduate student to complete an advanced degree. . .  At the time, I honestly don't know who was more excited, Raj or me.  Under Raj's tutelage, in 18 months time I wrote my first published paper; attended and presented my research at a professional conference, applied and received an Honorary Mention for a NSA grant; received funding to support my graduate students, and finally, Raj was instrumental in helping me find fulltime employment after completing my MS degree.  If these things were the only items Raj did for me (and his other students), I would consider him an excellent mentor; but Raj did more."  She goes on to add, "Raj always took the time to get his students on a personal level and understand their individual challenges.  I had some unique challenges as the only graduate student in Raj's group with young children. . . he worked with me to make sure I could get lab time when my children were in daycare."

·         From a colleague who has since moved to Germany, "It deeply impresses me that Raj, in spite of his very time-consuming position as the Chair of the MS&E, always appreciated global problems and found ways to connect his research to these broader issues particularly those related to clean energy, water and air.  He also discussed these issues with his graduate students and thus provided them a context and motivation for their research."  The writer also states, "The most impressive part of my observation of Raj's interactions was the way he worked with and mentored graduate students. . . it recognizes the individual differences among students and therefore the need for different approaches.  Although the approach is different for each student, the end result is the same.  Graduates of his group are well recognized scholars in their own right and are making significant contributions to the field."  The letter goes on to say, "All of his graduate students are fully supported.  Moreover, he involves them in writing reports, papers, and proposals.  He is the biggest booster of his graduate students.  He always gives them credit for their work, speaks highly of their contributions to his colleagues and prepares and nominates them for a variety of awards.  He ensures that students emerge with a broad range of professional networks and additional mentors."

·         A former student writes, "Even though only one of the five years I spent working with Prof. Bordia was as an official graduate student, I believe his nurturing of me as an undergraduate speaks volumes about his commitment to developing leaders for the future." 

·         A graduate student writes of Bordia, "He has provided me with support and encouragement while at the same time allowing me the freedom to make this experience my own, which is helping me hone my skills as an independent researcher."  The writer goes on to say, "Raj makes time for his mentees.  Each week, we have a group meeting and an individual meeting.  That is pretty standard from what I've seen on other groups in our department.  Where Raj stands out is his willingness to meet outside the standard times. . . fellowship deadlines and frustrating research conundrums don't coincide with scheduled meeting times.  I can't count the number of times I have asked to meet with Raj outside of the regular time and he has always made time for me.  This is even more amazing when you consider he was the department chair."

·        From a former student, "Professor Bordia took a democratic approach to the department, faculty and staff and students.  As a student along with other faculty members and staff, I took part in hiring committees, curriculum development committees, and the seminar committee just to name a few.  The fact that we were encouraged to take part in the inner workings and development of the department created a camaraderie which did not exist before."

Each year the members of the selection committee comment are challenged to make a selection from a distinguished pool of nominees and they comment that they are awed by the letters written on behalf of the nominees.  The committee is rewarded by and uplifted to see the strength of graduate mentors on this campus.  It is a difficult decision to select only one person for the award, but the committee agreed that Professor Bordia is deserving of this year’s Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award. 

Sincerely,

Suzanne T. Ortega

Vice Provost and Dean

Enclosures

cc:        Phyllis Wise, Provost

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