2002 Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching
Hamad Ghazle

The most important part about being a teacher is to never stop being a student. Perhaps that’s just a theory, but Hamad Ghazle has made it his way of life.

Ghazle, associate professor and director of the diagnostic medical sonography program in the College of Science, has committed himself to understanding as much about his students as he can, and that requires more time than is spent inside a classroom.

"Teaching is not an eight-to-five job," he explains. "We can’t just educate students to help them get jobs. I believe we have to teach them about what life is all about and prepare them to become leaders. That’s our mission."

That mission propelled Ghazle into taking part in an important experiment. For two years, he lived on campus with students as the faculty-in-residence. The first RIT faculty member to serve in this role, Ghazle used the opportunity to become a role model, mentor, advisor and friend to these young men and women.

"My apartment had a kitchen, so students would come down at all hours to make use of it," he recalls. "We spent a lot of time talking, and that helped them to understand that we-as faculty-are not beasts. We’re just like them, and that opened up the opportunities to discuss things that were really important to them."

Ghazle says he learned a lot from that experience that has helped him to relate better with students in the classroom-understanding how they behave and interact. It also provided him with an appreciation for the fact that each student is different, which encouraged him to diversify his classroom activities.

"You can’t always rely on traditional teaching methods. Lessons have to be interactive. Don’t just assume that everyone learns the same way. Some students learn better with visuals, some through the aid of computers, some learn better in groups, and some prefer hands-on learning. As a result, I really try to polish my lectures using different styles."

Joining the RIT faculty in 1994 was somewhat of a homecoming for Ghazle. Years earlier, he graduated from the College of Science with a bachelor’s degree in ultrasound. He then earned his master’s degree in health professions from the University of Rochester. Ever the student, Ghazle is pursuing a Ph.D. in imaging science.

Ghazle calls winning the Eisenhart Award a great honor and privilege, but he feels strongly that there’s more work ahead of him.

"Does it mean I’m doing the right thing? It does strengthen my belief that I’m on the right track, but it’s just the beginning. There’s no such thing as the peak, and we can never be perfect. It’s a goal worth having, but we never actually reach that peak. The key is to stay humble. I just want to make sure students are happy and that I see them smile. They’re the reason we’re here."