PITTSBURGH (Dec. 18, 2019) — In recognition of her
remarkable mentorship and teaching, Taryn Bales, PhD, vice chair for education
and professor of chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson
School of Engineering, has been awarded the James Pommersheim Award for
Excellence in Teaching Chemical Engineering.
The Pommersheim Award was established by the Department and
James M. Pommersheim '70 to recognize departmental faculty in the areas of
lecturing, teaching, research methodology, and research mentorship of students.
Dr. Pommersheim, formerly Professor of Chemical Engineering at Bucknell
University, received his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in chemical engineering
from Pitt.
“Taryn excels in every area of Chemical Engineering
education. She is not only a leader in our Department but also a leader
nationally,” says Steven R. Little, PhD, chair of the Department of Chemical
and Petroleum Engineering. “Our students rave about her in her teaching
evaluations, but also rave to me about how she is an exceptional mentor and a
friend. We are proud to have Taryn as a colleague.”
Bayles’ research focuses on engineering education,
increasing awareness of the engineering field and understanding how to help
students succeed once they choose engineering as a major. She co-authored the
INSPIRES (INcreasing Student Participation, Interest and Recruitment in
Engineering and Science) curriculum, which introduces high school students to
engineering design through hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning.
In addition to her impressive teaching record and education
research, Bayles has been a strong advisor for Pitt’s AIChE Chem-E-Car
team, which has excelled
in recent years. This year, Pitt’s team qualified to compete in the national
competition, finishing
12th overall and winning the Chem-E-Car Poster Competition.
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About Taryn Bayles
Taryn Melkus Bayles is a non-tenure stream (NTS) Professor
of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, and serves as the Chair of the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers Education Division. She has spent part of her
career working in industry with Exxon, Westinghouse and Phillips Petroleum. Her
industrial experience has included process engineering, computer modeling and
control, process design and testing, and engineering management. She has also
spent over 20 years teaching Chemical Engineering at the University of Nevada
Reno, University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland College Park and
University of Maryland Baltimore County. In her courses she incorporates her
industrial experience by bringing practical examples and interactive learning to
help students understand fundamental engineering principles.
Her research focuses on Engineering Education and Outreach
to increase awareness of and interest in pursuing engineering as a career, as
well as to understand what factors help students be successful once they have
chosen engineering as a major. She is the co-author of the INSPIRES (INcreasing
Student Participation, Interest and Recruitment in Engineering & Science)
curriculum, which introduce high school students to engineering design through
hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning with real world engineering
design challenges. This curriculum targets the International Technology and
Engineering Education Association Standards as well as National Next Generation
Science Standards and aligns with the Framework for K-12 Science Education.
Maggie Pavlick, 12/18/2019
Contact: Maggie Pavlick