Combinatorics & Optimization Department
John Irving is a graduate student in the Combinatorics and Optimization Department. John has taught undergraduate courses on five occasions while a graduate student in C&O. Total enrollment in the five courses was 505.
John is enthusiastic, lively, humorous, and interesting. He uses imaginative examples to get concepts across to students. Often, he would simply take a break at the end of a Calculus lecture to tell a funny story. One student commented that “he made the walk to class worthwhile”. Several times John, as an instructor and a teaching assistant, has provided an extra session of review prior to the final exams. Since the review session usually attracts many students from other sections, an amphitheatre needs to be booked. These review sessions last as long as the students have questions. One nomination letter notes that, on at least one occasion, the session lasted more than six hours.
John is extremely conscientious about his teaching, always prepared, and often spends many hours outside class explaining the material to students, in his office or at specially arranged review sessions. Students nominating John Irving felt that “he is the perfect candidate for the Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Registered Student”.