Dr. Jamileh Beik Mohammadi, an Assistant Professor and the Associate Chair of the Physics Department, has received the 2023 Faculty Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Mohammadi was praised for "putting time and effort into organizing extracurricular educational events and programs, as well as developing new teaching tools emphasizing practical experience and acquisition of transferrable skills for future careers." For instance, she mentors students in NASA-sponsored LaACES program, where students develop and build instruments for atmospheric measurements, which are then flown on NASA high-altitude baloon. She develops 3D and virtual reality visualization tools for physics courses, like Solid State Physics, and she introduced new hands-on courses, e.g. Electronics, where students learn by building electronic devices using Arduino kits.