Professors Kamal Tawfiq, Pedro Fernández-Cabán, Hui Wang, and Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf were each selected as recipients of the FSU 2025-26 University Teaching Awards. (Scott Holstein/FAMU-FSU College of Engineering)
Key points
- Four faculty members at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering received prestigious Florida State University awards for teaching and graduate mentorship.
- Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf earned the FSU Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award; Pedro Fernández-Cabán, Kamal Tawfiq and Hui Wang each received a 2025–26 FSU University Teaching Award.
- The awards recognize excellence in graduate mentorship, graduate teaching, undergraduate teaching and student-centered instruction.
- The honorees span two departments—Civil and Environmental Engineering and Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering—within the college.
Faculty at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering are being celebrated for their contributions to student success, with four members earning prestigious 2025–26 Florida State University teaching and mentorship awards.
Recognizing Outstanding Graduate Mentorship
Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, has been honored with the FSU Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award for his commitment to guiding the next generation of engineers.
Sponsored annually by the FSU Graduate School, the award spotlights faculty mentors whose dedication to graduate education has shaped the academic journeys and professional growth of FSU graduate students. Recipients exemplify exceptional mentorship and a sustained investment in student success.
Ahmadisharaf will be formally recognized at the FSU Graduate School’s Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence and at the Faculty Awards Ceremony hosted by the Office of the Provost on April 6, 2026.
Why mentorship matters: What does it mean to be a great graduate mentor in engineering? Graduate students in engineering face complex technical and professional challenges that go well beyond coursework. A strong mentor helps students navigate research roadblocks, develop professional skills and build the confidence to contribute meaningfully to their field—often shaping the direction of their entire career.
Celebrating Teaching Excellence: 2025–26 FSU University Teaching Awards
The FSU University Teaching Awards recognize educators who inspire a love of learning, challenge students’ perspectives, serve as role models, foster respect and employ innovative teaching methods. Faculty are nominated by a committee of faculty and students.
Three faculty members from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering received honors this year:
Pedro Fernández-Cabán, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, received the University Teaching Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching, recognizing his dynamic classroom presence, innovative methods and dedication to graduate student achievement.
Kamal Tawfiq, professor in civil and environmental engineering, earned the University Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Major (undergraduate), recognizing his ability to ignite curiosity and foster academic excellence among undergraduate students.
Hui Wang, associate professor in industrial and manufacturing engineering, received the University Teaching Award for Student-Centered Teaching and Mentoring (graduate and undergraduate), highlighting his student-focused approach across all academic levels.
Fernández-Cabán, Tawfiq and Wang will be celebrated at the University Teaching Awards ceremony on April 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center.
What students and families often ask: What makes FAMU-FSU College of Engineering faculty stand out in the classroom? The college’s faculty are recognized not just for technical expertise but for the ways they meet students where they are—adapting their teaching to different learning styles, investing time outside the classroom and maintaining high expectations while offering meaningful support. Awards like these reflect a culture of teaching excellence that runs throughout the college.
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