Assistant Professor Jason Patrick was selected as a university-level recipient of the NC State 2023-24 Outstanding Teacher Award and will become a member of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers. The award recognizes excellence in teaching at all levels.
Patrick joined CCEE’s faculty in 2017 and teaches CE 325 Structural Analysis, CE 525 Advanced Structural Analysis and CE 594 Special Topics: Multifunctional Composites. He is interested in the development of multifunctional, structural composites to address interdisciplinary challenges in modern aerospace, automotive, civil and naval applications. He has received several awards including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award.
“Jason typifies what is essential to be an effective instructor,” said Christopher W. Clark Distinguished Professor and Constructed Facilities Laboratory Director Mervyn Kowalsky. “His delivery is calm, paced, and thorough. I am most impressed by his ability to engage students. The mutual respect and admiration between him and his students is evident as they were very comfortable participating in class. The environment that Jason instills in class makes this possible.”
CCEE student Tyler Knickrehm said that Patrick is one of the “best professors I have learned from during my time in the civil engineering curriculum.
“Dr. Patrick empowered me and my peers by providing us with a clear, focused, and methodical education that is highly appropriate to the field of structural engineering,” Knickrehm said. “He also made the course content relatable by teaching it within its proper context and allowing us to apply it in more realistic environments.”
Associate Professor Ghadir Haikal, who also teaches CE 325, said that Patrick has made “tremendous contributions to the pedagogical mission of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering.
“He is a passionate advocate of education and cares deeply about the success of his students. His top-quality educational materials have significantly improved student learning in a critical area of civil engineering.”
Kowalsky also noted Patrick serves as chair of the structural engineering and mechanics group annual graduate student symposium, expanding his mentorship beyond his own graduate student group and the classroom.
“He has revamped the yearly event, and always strives to improve the experience for students by finding excellent speakers and setting high expectations for the student presenters,” Kowalsky said. “Under Jason’s leadership, the yearly event now has the feel of a professional conference with a book of abstracts.”