Three DICAM Professors Awarded for Excellence in Teaching

On May 8th, the evaluation committee, composed of:

• Prof. Anna Serbati (on behalf of the Vice-Rector for Teaching),
• Prof. Daniele Agostini (DIPSCO),
• Prof. Olindo Zanotti (DICAM),
• Prof. Roberta Springhetti (DICAM),
• Dr. Leoluca Corello and Ms. Elisa Pavone (student representatives from DICAM)

awarded three prizes for excellence in teaching to professors from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM):

• Marco Broccardo (affiliated with the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering)
• Maria Cantiani (affiliated with the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering)
• Nicola Pugno (affiliated with the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering)

The awarding process followed a bottom-up approach that placed students at the centre. The students themselves proposed to the professors through detailed motivation letters, highlighting the innovative elements of their lectures and the quality of the teaching materials provided.

Each awarded professor received a prize consisting of €2,000 for the two joint first-place recipients, and €1,000 for the second-place recipient. The amount is to be allocated to teaching and scientific research, increasing their institutional fund.

Motivations for the Award

Prof. Marco Broccardo (Structural Engineering, Single-Cycle Master’s Degree in Building Engineering | Architecture)

The award was granted to Prof. Marco Broccardo for his course Structural Engineering in the Single-Cycle Master’s Degree in Building Engineering | Architecture, due to his clarity in presentation, outstanding availability towards students, and the high-quality and well-structured teaching materials provided on Moodle. The course was well-organised and delivered with passion and enthusiasm for the subject. The professor effectively made difficult concepts accessible to students through physical and digital models, interactive tools like Wooclap, engagement with external professionals, and tutoring support. The committee particularly appreciated the systematic provision of recorded lectures.

Prof. Maria Cantiani (Ecology, Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Land Engineering)

The award was granted to Prof. Maria Cantiani for her course Ecology in the Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Land Engineering, due to her great availability, clear exposition, the completeness and quality of the teaching materials, and the passion and enthusiasm conveyed to students. Outdoor exercises in the Mesiano park and field trips were especially appreciated. The committee also acknowledged her ongoing efforts to improve the Mesiano campus for the well-being of students and faculty. She organises extracurricular activities such as a photo contest and additional seminars. Her teaching incorporated innovative elements, such as participatory and interactive methods, engaging students as active participants. The Moodle materials were rich and made extensive use of multimedia elements.

Prof. Nicola Pugno (Mechanics of Materials, Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Land Engineering)

The award was granted to Prof. Nicola Pugno for his course Mechanics of Materials in the Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Land Engineering, recognising his clarity of presentation, strong availability and continuous support for students, and a well-organised course structure that included practical experiences and interdisciplinary aspects. He presents case studies dynamically applied to engineering. The course features innovative teaching practices, such as challenge-based learning, to enhance student understanding and autonomy in addressing complex problems. The teaching materials made available on Moodle are also extensive.

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