UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 14
December 12, 1996
1996 awardee 'Arde' Faghri recognized for teaching excellence

     The sign on his desk identifies Ardeshir "Arde" Faghri,
civil engineering, as a "transportologist," a joking reference to
his expertise in transportation and traffic engineering. Equally
high on his list of expertise are teacher and adviser: Faghri has
been doubly honored by the University-receiving the excellence-in-
advising award in 1995 and the excellence-in-teaching award this
year.
     An ardent advocate of the teaching profession, Faghri said
that, next to parents, teachers are the most important influence
in a person's life. Several of his family members have worked in
the academic field, and following in their footsteps was natural
for him.
     Faghri teaches a core course in engineering, "System Designs
and Operations," focusing on mathematics and computer techniques
to optimize the design of buildings, bridges, highways and other
structures. He also teaches graduate-level courses focusing on
the design, construction and maintenance of transportation and
traffic facilities, including airports, highways and freeways,
harbors and ports and bus and rail stations.
     What is his approach to teaching?
     "The first day of class I try to remember everyone's name
and put a name with a face, even in a class of 50. By the second
day, I pretty much know who everyone is in the classroom. It's a
game I play with myself, but the students are surprised," he
said.
     He also interrupts his lectures with oral pop quizzes. "I
say, 'Bob-I mean you, Bob Smith-can you answer the question?' The
students learn to come prepared for class and keep on their
toes."
     Faghri also makes sure everyone understands the material he
is presenting. "Much of what I teach is complex, so I go over it
and over it to make sure the students have grasped the
lesson-until, sometimes, the students protest. If necessary, we
continue after class on the blackboard in the lab next door,"
Faghri said.
     He also is a believer in the open-door policy. "Students are
welcome in my office any time I am there, and I keep them
informed about when I am out of town. I know my students, advise
them about careers and am happy to write recommendations for jobs
or graduate school. I work even closer with my graduate students;
they all receive job offers, and many keep in touch with me,"
Faghri said.
     Growing up in Iran, Faghri attended a French Catholic boys'
school, headed by "Mon Pere," a Swiss priest and a believer in
tough love. "Mon Pere was a strong disciplinarian, but you could
feel his affection and care for all of his students. He was a
strong influence in my life and many others. I stayed in touch
with him until his death last year," Faghri said.
     When he was 12, his family moved to the United States, where
his father taught dermatology at the University of Illinois
Medical School. Faghri entered Chicago public schools and then
continued his education in Berkeley, Cal. "It was a contrast, but
I didn't suffer from culture shock. I was amazed at the
informality in American schools, where students stretched out in
their chairs and put their hands behind their heads, but I liked
the freedom and flexibility," he said.
     Math was his metier, and he credits good teachers for
maintaining his interest. "Math is the kind of subject that, even
if you are good at it, poor teaching can turn you off," he said.
At the University of Washington in Seattle, where he received
bachelor's and master's degrees in math, his mentor was Robert
Stalley, a professor who encouraged his interest in math and with
whom Faghri still has contact.
     Faghri earned another master's degree and a doctorate in
civil engineering at the University of Virginia. "In my field of
traffic engineering, I use applied mathematics and develop
computer software," he said.
     Upon completing his degrees, Faghri worked on Long Island,
N.Y., as a traffic engineer. He said he felt this experience in
the field was invaluable, particularly in advising students about
their careers and what is required in the "real world."
     Faghri also served as interim director of the University's
Delaware Transportation Institute, which works on research
problems with the Delaware Department of Transportation.
     For example, he said, when an oversized truck applied for a
permit to travel through Delaware, an engineer once had to
laboriously check out bridges, underpasses, roads and
intersections to make sure the route was safe. Now, thanks to
technical assistance from the institute, the engineer enters the
dimensions of the truck in the computer, which does the routing
and issues the permit in a matter of minutes, he said.
     Faghri is enthusiastic about his career as a transportation
engineer, teacher and adviser. "Teaching in my field and
interacting with students in and out of the classroom is a
privilege. I love what I'm doing, and almost feel guilty for
getting paid for what I enjoy so much," Faghri said.
                                              -Sue Swyers Moncure