Outstanding Lecturer

Ronald Taylor

If Wright State has 10 colleges, 2,321 faculty and staff members and only two awards for outstanding lecturers, how can one possibly decide who is most worthy of such an award?

It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that Ronald F. Taylor, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, represents x among the multiple choices of faculty and staff to choose from.

Taylor has taught more than 30 different courses in computer science, engineering and mathematics in his 18 years at Wright State.

He is trained in algebra, physics, calculus and differential equations, statics, dynamics, vibration theory and elasticity, aerospace engineering, programming, matrix computation, numerical methods and design of information technology systems, which represents interdisciplinary subject courses.

He developed Wright State’s first computational science distance-learning course, in 2007, that was offered throughout Ohio. Some of the course material was published in a textbook.

“No matter what course he teaches, the students consistently rave about the depth of his knowledge, the clarity of his course materials and the overall quality,” said Mateen Rizki, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. “Taylor cares about our students.”

Taylor set up study tables for the various computer science math-related courses. Under his leadership the success rate for two of the computer science courses is now 65 percent and 82 percent compared to the below 50 percent average students had before participating in his study tables.

He is always willing to meet the needs of his students even if it takes time out of his personal schedule. He has scheduled late-night advising hours for students who work in the evenings.

Taylor recently became a graduate adviser, which required him to learn the entire graduate program and policies along with advising many international students.

With a caring heart, Taylor developed an online webinar to speak with international students to help ease their transition to Wright State.

In addition, he has helped with the new SCALE-UP implementation of the core computer programming sequence, which has increased the retention and success of computer science and engineering students.

“Taylor has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to classroom teaching, curriculum development and student success and has provided invaluable service to Wright State for nearly two decades,” said Nathan W. Klingbeil, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.