Sarhan named to 2022 class of Wayne State University Academy of Teachers

Nabil Sarhan, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, was one of five Wayne State University faculty members chosen to join the Academy of Teachers, a select group of educators recognized by the university each year for instructional excellence, leadership and impact on the WSU undergraduate learning experience.

Established in 2018 by the Office for Teaching and Learning, the Academy of Teachers promotes the shared value and culture of teaching excellence at WSU by supporting the professional development of faculty, encouraging policies to support teachers, and serving as an advisory group to the provost on matters relating to teaching and learning.

Sarhan has an extensive record of developing project-based courses and cutting-edge curricula for engineering students, including a proposed M.S. program in artificial intelligence. Students in his classes are immersed in a research-based environment with hands-on activities and training in technological problem-solving. Sarhan has reformed multiple courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels based on design approaches and active learning. He recently led the efforts to modernize the Introduction to Microcomputers course and lab (ECE 3620) by integrating ARM-based microcontrollers.

As a member of the Academy of Teachers, Sarhan will be able to share his knowledge and experience of developing innovative and project-based STEM courses with instructors across Wayne State University.

“Dr. Sarhan is an outstanding teacher,” said Professor Mohammed Ismail, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). “He enjoys teaching, cares about his students, and goes above and beyond his duties to help them learn.”

Sarhan has served in multiple leadership roles since arriving at Wayne State in 2003. He chaired the Computer Engineering Area Committee, coordinated the master’s program in computer engineering and served as the ECE Graduate Program Director, during which time he revised the curricula for the department’s M.S. degrees. Sarhan is a member of the College Academic Operations Committee and the College Ranking and Reputation Committee.

He is also an internationally recognized expert in computer systems, multimedia, video streaming, computer vision and automated video surveillance, having received a U.S. patent for the latter in 2017.