PhD student Shen honored for teaching

Weijun Shen, a PhD student in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, is among 31 University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate students to receive a 2024-25 Campus-Wide Teaching Assistant Award.

Shen, who’s part of Assistant Professor Hantang Qin’s research lab, earned an Early Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes teaching assistants with fewer than four semesters of teaching experience at UW-Madison.

Shen specializes in design for additive manufacturing with a focus on design for functionalities. His research explores innovative approaches to optimizing the design and functionality of additive manufacturing processes, aiming to enhance product performance and efficiency.

At UW–Madison, Shen has served as a teaching assistant for several key courses, including Inspection, Quality Control and Reliability; Introduction to Manufacturing Systems, Design and Analysis; and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. Through these roles, he has developed a passion for fostering student engagement and bridging theoretical concepts with practical applications in industrial engineering.

“What I enjoy most about teaching at UW–Madison is the opportunity to embody the Wisconsin Idea—the principle that education should extend beyond the classroom and positively impact people’s lives,” Shen says. “This resonates deeply with me, especially in engineering, where knowledge must be rooted in real-world challenges and serve practical purposes. Engineering education cannot be confined to the ivory tower; it must be connected to the needs of society and industry. I strive to bring this philosophy into my teaching by integrating hands-on projects, real-world case studies, and collaborative problem-solving into the learning experience.”

He adds, “Teaching and learning are mutually enriching processes. Every interaction with students challenges me to refine my understanding and approach, creating a dynamic and reciprocal learning environment. I aim to inspire students to see the tangible impact of their work and empower them to become innovative problem-solvers who can address the complex challenges of our world.”