Reno Reporter

Angelina Padilla, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno's, (UNR) College of Engineering, was given the F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teacher Award in April.

Padilla was presented the award during her Mechanical Engineering 467 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics class by Manos Maragakis, the outgoing dean of the College of Engineering, a recent press release from UNR said.

“Yes, it feels like yesterday when (we) were interviewing Angelina for this job,” Maragakis said in the release. “She has done such a masterful job. She has done so many things for the department, and she has played such a critical role in achieving our goals.”

The university reported that Padilla has been at the school since interviewing in 2012 when she had just finished her Ph. D. from Stanford University.

“Time flies when you are busy and enjoy what you do,” Padilla said in the release. “When I first started, I was fresh out of my Ph. D. and had never taught a class completely on my own. I have evolved a lot since I first started. I have always believed in having clear expectations and engaging students in the classroom but I am a lot more effective than when I started.”

She added that she always had a passion for math and engineering and was honored to receive the award as an “Hispanic female.”