Luís Pina receives Silver Circle Award for teaching excellence
Luís Pina receives Silver Circle Award for teaching excellence Heading link
Assistant Professor Luís Pina received a 2024 Silver Circle Award, which is presented to some of UIC’s best teachers. What makes the award especially meaningful is that the selection committee consists of students – specifically, graduating seniors. The award was first offered to UIC faculty in 1966.
“Being the recipient of the teaching award chosen by the students themselves is an incredible honor,” Pina said. “I’m proud and excited that the students chose me among all the great teachers that they encountered during their academic path.”
Pina was also lauded for his teaching earlier this year with UIC’s 2023-2024 Teaching Recognition Award, which honors excellent examples of teaching. He also received the 2022 College of Engineering Teaching Award.
Pina, who joined UIC in 2019, relies on meticulous preparation, an engaging lecture style, and frequent evaluation with prompt student feedback as an instructor. He rewards classroom effort and curates a learning experience with no surprises. Pina hopes his teaching style allows students to see that if they put in the work, they can thrive. He believes this is especially useful to first-generation college students, who may find themselves in an unfamiliar setting on campus and may not believe they have what it takes to succeed.
“Students often struggle with how to start doing the work asked of them during a course, which leads them to put work off–sometimes due to lack of confidence–and then receive a poor grade; often in a vicious cycle that results in poor academic performance,” Pina said. “My teaching style actively attempts to break this cycle. First, I guide students over those crucial first steps with intro videos for each assignment. Then, students can learn from their mistakes and improve a low grade by fixing their submission with the instructor’s solution, and explaining what they did wrong in the first place.”
Pina received his award May 4 at the Spring 2024 College of Engineering commencement ceremony.