Outstanding Mentor Appreciates Teaching/Learning Opportunities
Tim Jacobs
The classic definition of a mentor is someone who leads, guides, advises and teaches those who are less knowledgeable or experienced. Outstanding Mentor Award recipient Tim Jacobs does all of these things and more: he's continuing to learn from those whom he's been helping. Throughout his studies in ME, Jacobs has had extensive experience on both sides of the teaching/learning process.
"Serving as a mentor to others has taught me a lot, too," Jacobs said. "My first exposure to mentoring was when I joined Tau Beta Pi in 1997. As part of our service activities, we could tutor first and second year students in core subjects such as math, chemistry, and physics. I enjoyed this interaction, and I quickly learned that tutoring the material helped me understand it better. I also tutored as a Keller Physics tutor in the same semester, which had the same effect on me.
"Later, my experience on Rackham Student Government in 2000 provided an insider's view on which type of mentoring graduate students needed most, things like class selection, research oversight, or personal assistance. But the activity that most led to this award was mimicking the experience and practice of my mentors—Professor Dennis Assanis, Reasearch Scientists Zoran Filipi and Stani Bohac, and senior graduate students—over the last six years of my post-graduate education."
He also pointed to his experiences in the Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory as being a tremendous learning environment.
He was part of the 30-person engine research group in the Lay Automotive Lab, headed by Professor Assanis. Because the group is made up of students, research scientists and research fellows, it was necessary that the more experienced people helped the less-seasoned students. "I would try to make myself available as much as possible to answer others' questions, and offer them insight based on my experience," Jacobs said.
"Being a graduate student is like being part of any other type of work environment," Jacobs said. "Colleagues must work closely with each other, and the overall experience is only enhanced when relationships are amiable. You want to help your colleagues out so that they're successful, and, in turn, they're there to help you out."
To Jacobs, receiving this award affirmed that his approach to helping others work through difficult situations was the right one. "I've learned that mentoring is simply another type of relationship we engage ourselves in on a day-to-day basis," he said, "which makes it dynamic and constantly in need of work. To me, the award doesn't indicate a pinnacle or an indication to relax on maintaining or improving my relationships, but rather that the trajectory is set in the right direction."
While at the CoE, Jacobs' work has focused on combustion and emission processes in energy conversion devices for automobiles and prime movers. This research includes IC engines and possible alternative technologies and fuels.
Jacobs has joined the faculty at Texas A & M University for the fall term, and he left North Campus with many positive memories.
"I've been an ME student since the Fall of 96, and now that I have left the University of Michigan, I'm facing a slight identity crisis," he said. "I loved my time at the CoE, especially the ME department."
It's almost axiomatic that great mentors have themselves had excellent mentors, and Jacobs gives full credit to Department Chair Professor Assanis, who served as Jacobs' PhD advisor.
"By far, the primary reason for my appreciation of the ME department has been the teaching by and close working with the wonderful faculty," he said. "The department has a collection of superb faculty who are leaders in their research, artists in their teaching, and strong examples of people who can balance work life and family life. Specifically, my advisor, Dennis Assanis, has been a strong reason why I felt compelled to go into academia myself. In addition to the faculty, the staff members of the ME department add a flavor of life that gives the department a well-rounded personality. In my 10 years involvement with the department, I've always had nothing but extremely pleasant interactions with all the staff members."
In addition to the Outstanding Mentor Award, Jacobs has also been recognized with the Outstanding GSI Award in 2005 and Excellence in Presentation recognitions at the SAE Congress in 2003 and 2005. He holds a BSE (1999), MSE (2002) and PhD (2005) from the University of Michigan.
