Passionate Teaching Hallmark of 2024 St. Amand Winner

Pandya's own passion for teaching has landed him the university's 2024 St. Amand Outstanding Teaching Award.

"The beauty of academia is that we actually can play an important role in teaching the tools of trade – the skills and the knowledge that can help our students make a livelihood," Pandya said. "It's an important part of feeling good about oneself that you made a difference in somebody else's life."

Pandya received the award April 4 during Honors Day Convocation at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The St. Amand award honors a non-tenure-track faculty member each year for excellence in the classroom.

"Dr. Tejas Pandya's teaching career exemplifies how the University of Mississippi prepares students by teaching them the rigorous conceptual knowledge they need to excel in their careers and also the tools of industry expertise," Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "He is present for his students in the classroom while simultaneously paving a pathway forward for them.

"His humor, compassion and intelligence make him an unforgettable teacher, and we are honored to present the St. Amand Award to him."

Pandya, who received a master's in mechanical engineering from UM in 1999, joined the faculty in 2014 after more than a decade working in the industry.

When he first joined the faculty at Ole Miss in fall 2014, he brought with him more than a decade of industry experience. His plan was to impart that real-world knowledge to students to better prepare them for engineering careers after graduation and build "a proverbial bridge between the classroom and industry."

Pandya teaches not just theoretical knowledge, but also practical application, said A.M. Rajendran, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

"His teaching methodology underscores contemporary and future advancements in fields of product design and renewable energy systems, contributing to global benefit," Rajendran said. "As a result, his students demonstrate exceptional proficiency in addressing real-world engineering challenges."

Pandya teaches introduction to mechanical design, as well as classes on alternative energy systems and computer aided design. He said he has two main goals for all his students.

"The first important thing is finding gainful employment," he said. "That way they can sustain their own lifestyles, support a family and all those very practical aspects that make life happy and meaningful.

"The second is to learn how to be a problem solver – to focus on a problem and critically analyze the various aspects of it while coming up with a creative solution."

Pandya's upper-level capstone design course allows students to take their problem-solving knowledge and apply it to an industry sponsored project.

"Many of our graduates are the ones who I acquire these projects from," Pandya said. "It has kind of created a pipeline where the students who enjoy their time here, learned a bunch and are now gainfully employed get an opportunity to come back and benefit our students through these company sponsored projects.

"Not only that, but the capstone has also spun off into internship and job opportunities for our students as well."

That dedication to forming lasting connections with students sets Pandya apart. He understands their academic goals and supports their professional aspirations long after they've left his courses, Rajendran said.

"Dr. Pandya's mentoring has been instrumental in developing a strong professional relationship with recent graduates," he said. "The students who professionally benefited through his teaching and mentoring are well-placed in the industry and have created many internship and job opportunities for our graduating students."

Students who submitted nomination letters for Pandya praised his dedication, innovative teaching methods and "unwavering support."

"You cannot leave (Pandya's) class without learning that little bit extra to ensure excellence in the industry, no matter what that industry may be," wrote one student. "He loves challenging his students to bring out the very best in each and every one of them."

Another wrote, "his ability to simplify complex topics, such as 3D modeling and alternative energy systems, has been instrumental in my academic journey."

Pandya was the 2022 recipient of the School of Engineering's Faculty Teaching Award and the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Teaching Award, which was presented by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers student chapter.

The St. Amand award is named in honor of the late Wilbrod St. Amand, an Ole Miss biology professor of more than 25 years who died in January 2022 after making a lasting impact on the campus and the community. Pandya, who is the second recipient of the award, received a plaque and $10,000.