Faculty Excellence Award

Tien Chih, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mathematics, CLASS

Throughout the past five years, Dr. Tien Chih has performed at the highest level in all areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. Chih has been the recipient of seven university, regional, and national awards for his achievements in these areas and was the 2021 recipient of the Winston and Helen Cox Fellowship Award. Chih has spent his time developing high-quality open education resources to reduce student expenditures in resources, saving students thousands of dollars.

Chih’s innovative approaches to instruction positively impact student learning and satisfaction, which is reflected time and again in student evaluations. He has received numerous grants and sponsored research worth over $30K and has published eight peer-reviewed papers in various publications, all of which speaks to the significance of his work in the field.

Chih created the popular MSUB Math Circle, which provides math outreach to young students and helps them explore ideas and topics in mathematics not usually covered in the standard curriculum. He also reinstated the MSUB math club and brought back the culture of building connections and engaging in math activities outside the classroom. Additionally, he volunteers his time working with the Atomic Circus, Girls-n-Science, STEAM Fest, and the MSUB Science Expo.

Chih’s contribution to the university and the public is extraordinary, and he is incredibly deserving of this Faculty Excellence award.