Indian Prof. wins highest teaching accolade in Australia
New Delhi: A/Prof. Jayashri Ravishankar teaching Electrical Engineering, especially renewable energy technologies, smart grids and microgrids, at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia has been awarded the highest citation by its government for her innovative style of teaching. It is the challenge to communicate personally with each of your large and increasingly diverse class that makes you constantly innovate she feels.
The prestigious Australian Awards for University Teaching presented 71 citation awards throughout Australia from 31 different Universities for the year 2019. It is the highest form of learning and teaching recognition in the country, reserved for transformative educators who exemplify best practices in their university.
Prof. Jayashri Ravishankar has been honoured with a citation, which reads: “For developing innovative online and face-to-face learning strategies and promoting an inclusive classroom in large electrical engineering courses that improve the employability skills of students.”
The citation letter further recognises Prof. Ravishankaar ”being among Australia’s most exceptional university teachers”, who has ”demonstrated an outstanding contribution to student learning through your dedication to quality teaching.”
It states that her work is ”valued highly by your students, University and the Australian Government, and commends and thanks her for ”enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education, and for your dedication to enriching and improving the learning experiences of your students.”
The nomination provides outstanding evidence of a substantial and sustained impact on student engagement, success and satisfaction. Each case study was appreciated as it is beautifully presented so that the problem, solution and evidence of success were clear and convincing.
The nominee is a ‘tireless innovator’ who responds enthusiastically to new challenges, develops innovative solutions and shares these new approaches with others. And the curricula have been adopted by engineering educators nationally and internationally which is strong evidence that it is exemplary.”
Prof. Ravishankar completed her BE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Madras University, then secured her ME in Power System Engineering, as well as PhD, Electrical Engineering from Anna University, also getting an MEng (by research), Electrical Engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
She was on the faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Anna University for 10 years then joined as lecturer in UNSW in 2010. Her teaching areas include electrical circuit theory, power system analysis, power system operation & control and electrical safety; while her research interests are in wind energy integration, power system dynamics, modeling & control. Prof. Ravishankar also holds the position of Deputy Head of School (Education) in the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, which is one of the highest ranked among Australian universities.
The award ceremony is to be held later this month.