Posted on Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 5:57 a.m.
University of Michigan mathematician dubbed 2012 Michigan Professor of the Year
By Kellie Woodhouse
A University of Michigan math professor has been awarded one of the most prestigious teaching awards in the state.
Stephen DeBacker
DeBacker —a nine-year veteran of the university who reportedly tells jokes and wears a math department T-shirt during every class— is one of 30 professors across the nation who were honored by the Carnegie Foundation earlier this week.
DeBacker is the director of the math department's undergraduate program. He has helped triple the number of math majors graduating from the department over the past decade, according to a U-M release.
He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1997.
Comments
empedocles
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 11:02 p.m.
Congratulations Professor DeBacker. My doctor recently told me that medicine is biology, biology is chemistry, chemistry is physics and physics is mathematics. The fruits of your logical and analytical mind is helping Americans in many unseen and unpredictable ways. I hope you have a long and great career. Your contribution is incalculable.
ArthGuinness
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 4:16 p.m.
Sounds like a cool guy, wish he had been there a couple decades or so ago.
Ross
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.
Wow, good for you. I took your linear algebra class back in what, 2005 or 2006? when you were just a newb in the math dept. Thanks for the A- !
Linda Peck
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:05 p.m.
Congratulations, Professor DeBacker!