Wright Flyer contributer honored
The Utah Engineers Council named professor David Widauf Engineering Educator of the Year at its awards banquet in Salt Lake City last week.
“David is an excellent faculty member,” said Maurice Thomas, head of the industrial technology and education department. “He works well with students and is certainly deserving of all the recognition he has received.”
“It has been quite an honor to be selected for this award,” Widauf said.
He is recognized as one of the three educators at USU ever presented the award. Widauf’s considerations of those who were honored in the past have made his experience of winning a humbling one, Widauf said.
Widauf was presented as the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony held at the Union Station. The council, consisting of Utah engineering professionals, announced Widauf as the winner and highlighted three other nominees.
A prominent project that contributed to Widauf’s recognition as an accomplished educator was the directing, designing and building of the USU Wright Flyer, a modern replica of the Wright Brother’s aircraft. The replica of the aircraft was demonstrated and flown for the Centennial of Flight Celebration.
“The past couple of years I have devoted a great deal of time to the USU Wright Flyer,” said Widauf, who has taught aviation courses at USU since 1986.
Widauf said he likes teaching in the engineering field because it is challenging to both him and his students. He said he thinks his students can improve the world with their future creations.
“I can’t think of [anything I dislike] except there doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to accomplish all I would like to do,” he said.
Widauf said he has learned from teaching that there is more information on a given subject than he can ever pass on to the students.
“I try to hit the highlights and pass on survival information and show them where to find more information if they want to dig deeper,” he said.
Widauf said he thinks being an educator is a “two-way street,” meaning the teacher and student can learn from each other. He said he has learned a lot from his students who bring up their past experiences in the classroom.
“It always amazes me what people can accomplish when they are not afraid of failure,” Widauf said.
Widauf was an undergraduate and graduate student in California. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo and his master’s from Pepperdine University. He received his doctorate from Texas A&M. He studied aeronautical engineering, industrial technology and education.
“Learning by doing” and having “hands-on experience” is the basic philosophy Widauf uses to teach his students. He said above all he emphasizes integrity as a character in his students.
“My students will most likely end up in the aviation field, where many lives may be at stake. If you [a student] are not sure about something, find out the right way to do [it], don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Widauf said.
-doantn@cc.usu.edu