Rate My Professor Autar Kaw

University of South Florida

Engineering Education Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Engineering Education Mechanics Materials Engineering

5.0

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5.04/23/2026

Brings energy and passion to every lesson.

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About Autar

Autar Kaw serves as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Jerome Krivanek Distinguished Teacher at the University of South Florida, a position he has held since 1996, following appointments as Assistant Professor from 1987 to 1992 and Associate Professor from 1992 to 1996. He earned his B.E. (Honors) in Mechanical Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India, in 1981, an M.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Clemson University in 1984, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from Clemson University in 1987. Earlier roles included graduate research and teaching assistantships at Clemson University and maintenance engineering at Ford-Escorts Tractors, India.

Professor Kaw's main scholarly interests include engineering education research encompassing flipped, blended, and adaptive learning; open courseware development; bascule bridge design; fracture mechanics; composite materials; computational nanomechanics; and the state and future of higher education. Since 2002, under his leadership, colleagues nationwide have developed open courseware for Numerical Methods, receiving over one million annual page views, more than two million YouTube lecture views, and substantial blog visitors. He also released open courseware for Introduction to Matrix Algebra in 2014. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Florida Department of Transportation, and others, resulting in more than 115 refereed technical papers. Kaw has authored books such as Mechanics of Composite Materials (CRC Press, 1997; 2nd ed., 2005), Numerical Methods with Applications (Lulu.com, 2010), Introduction to Matrix Algebra (Lulu.com, 2008), and Introduction to Programming Concepts Using MATLAB (Lulu.com, 2012). Key publications include Adaptive Learning in a Numerical Methods Course for Engineers: Evaluation in Blended and Flipped Classrooms (Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 2020) and Benefits of Adaptive Lessons for Pre-class Preparation in a Flipped Numerical Methods Course (International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2020).

Among numerous accolades, Kaw received the 2012 U.S. Professor of the Year Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the 2011 ASEE National Outstanding Teaching Medal, the 2004 U.S. Florida Professor of the Year Award, the 2004 ASME Curriculum Innovation Award, the 2003 ASEE Archie Higdon Mechanics Educator Award, and ASME Fellowship in 2005. He serves as Associate Editor for the Online Journal of Engineering Education and has held roles on the ASEE Mechanical Engineering Division Awards Committee and national teaching award selection panels. His contributions have been covered in the Chronicle of Higher Education, U.S. Congressional Record, ASEE Prism, and various media.