Professor Margaret Wooldridge has been appointed an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor for her outstanding contributions to undergraduate education. She will retain the title throughout her career at the University.
Wooldridge, whose research and teaching focuses on energy systems, combustion, heat transfer and thermodynamics, is known for her ability to energize core undergraduate courses. She has recently created a course, Advanced Energy Solutions (ME433), on next-generation methods to provide energy for a global society and a new undergraduate concentration on energy. Her research is deeply integrated with her undergraduate teaching and focuses on bridging the gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms limiting biofuels, gas sensing and catalysts to name a few.
Dedicated to promoting diversity in engineering, Wooldridge devotes significant time to mentoring students, creating an inclusive classroom environment, using distance learning tools and engaging high school and elementary school students.
Wooldridge has been the recipient of several awards for teaching and research. In 2008 she was named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Each year the University of Michigan recognizes a select group of tenured faculty as Thurnau Professors. Criteria for the award include strong commitment to undergraduate education, innovation in teaching and learning, strong commitment to working effectively with a diverse student body and having demonstrable impact on students’ intellectual development. The professorships are named after alumnus Arthur F. Thurnau and supported by the Thurnau Charitable Trust, which was established through his will.
