Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova, an instructional professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University, has been selected to receive the 2024 Wells Fargo Honors Faculty Mentor Award, presented by the Texas A&M Honors Student Council.
Erukhimova was recognized for her dedication and commitment to excellence in education as part of the annual Texas A&M LAUNCH Recognition Ceremony, held May 8 in the Memorial Student Center’s Bethancourt Ballroom.
Wells Fargo Faculty Mentors are nominated and then selected by open voting among students actively participating in the University Honors Program. Award recipients distinguish themselves by extending the mentoring relationship beyond the confines of the classroom, encouraging a spirit of inquiry in their students, being thoughtful teachers, and exhibiting the strongest desire to train a new generation of thinkers and creators.
Erukhimova, a 2017 Texas A&M Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence and a 2021-24 Eppright Professor in Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, joined the Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy faculty in 2006, where she also serves as outreach coordinator and is the inaugural holder of the Marsha L. ’69 and Ralph F. Schilling ’68 Chair for Physics Outreach. She currently teaches calculus-based introductory physics classes, Mechanics, and Electricity and Magnetism, combining high expectations with devoted support to transform the relationship her students have with physics.
Erukhimova’s nominator noted how her passion and energy inspire student engagement and increase understanding of the material. Her passion for inspiring learning through science has also motivated her to create several innovative programs at Texas A&M that integrate education with science outreach and community service, including DEEP (Discover, Explore and Enjoy Physics and Engineering), the Texas A&M Physics Show, Just Add Science and the Real Physics Live online videos series. Since 2007, she has coordinated the annual Texas A&M Physics and Engineering Festival that attracts several thousand visitors to campus each spring. In addition, she is a co-organizer of the annual Mitchell Institute Physics Enhancement Program and is a global social media sensation for all things STEM education and engagement.
A fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers (2024), American Association for the Advancement of Science (2023) and American Physical Society (2019), Erukhimova's many career honors include the AAPT David Halliday and Robert Resnick Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching (2024) and Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service (2024), the APS Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach (2023), the Provost Academic Professional Track Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (2021), a Fish Camp namesake (2019), Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Awards for Teaching (2012) as well as Extension and Outreach (2019), the Sigma Xi-Texas A&M Chapter Outstanding Science Communicator Award (2014) and the John E. Trott Jr. Award in Student Recruiting (2013). She also served as chair of the AAPT Committee on Science Education for the Public in 2020.
Erukhimova is among 12 all-time Texas A&M Arts and Sciences faculty honored thus far as Wells Fargo Faculty Mentors, joining Dr. Laura Osborne (Psychological and Brain Sciences, 2023), Dr. Robin Veldman (Global Languages and Cultures, 2022), Dr. Duncan MacKenzie (Biology, 2019), Dr. Britt Mize (English, 2018), Dr. Daniel Singleton (Chemistry 2017), Dr. Elizabeth Robinson (English, 2015), Dr. Donald J. Curtis Jr. (History, 2014), Dr. David Bergbreiter (Chemistry, 2011 and 2005), the late Dr. Douglas A. Brooks (English, 2007), Dr. Kurt Ritter (Communication and Journalism, 2004) and the late Dr. Scott Austin (Philosophy, 2003) in receiving the coveted $1,000 accolade, which is made possible by a generous endowment from Wells Fargo.
Learn more about LAUNCH faculty recognition programs or University Honors at Texas A&M.