Professor of mathematical sciences Teresa Woods has won the Michigan Technological University 2025 Distinguished Teaching Award in the Associate Professor/Associate Teach Professor/Professor/Teaching Professor/Professor of Practice category.

Woods is also the academic coordinator for the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and has three degrees from Michigan Tech. As part of the award, Woods will take home $2,500 and a special plaque.

“What has been really heartwarming is when students and colleagues have told me how happy they are for me to receive this recognition,” Woods said in a Michigan Tech News release about her win. “It means my career gamble, leaving engineering and ultimately becoming a teacher, paid off. I think the right career can be a source of great joy, and the wrong one can make you miserable.”

Woods says the core of her teaching strategy is to help students answer the question, “What will learning this help me do that I can’t do with the tools I’ve already mastered?”

Woods also has a unique philosophy on helping students grow in the classroom.

“To grow plants successfully from seed, you need to start with a good plan then pay close attention to how things develop and adjust light, water, and nutrients as needed,” Woods said. “Teaching is similar…carefully applied stress helps produce healthy, resilient plants. A certain level of stress can be beneficial for students as well — it can push them to rise to challenges and develop important coping skills.”

Outside of the classroom, Woods is heavily involved in Michigan Tech’s inner workings. For example, she was a member of the Course Lists Working Group in 2024, which helped organize the school’s new Essential Education program. Woods also works with other faculty members to workshop ways to improve classroom instruction.

As the mathematical sciences department’s academic coordinator, Woods works “to make sure students are able to take the classes they need, when they need them. This is another example of the type of collaborative problem-solving that I find so satisfying, and that characterizes the service roles I’m drawn to time and time again.”

Outside of teaching, Woods acts as the faculty advisor for Huskies Curl, the school’s curling club. She’s seen them through two national championships, winning bronze in 2024 and silver in 2025.

According to Woods, winning the Distinguished Teaching Award “adds to my credibility as a teaching mentor to graduate students and new faculty. Mentoring has afforded opportunities for mutual learning and connection, and I’m hopeful for more of those experiences ahead.”

The Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Award has been given annually since 1982. It has two categories; Assistant Professor/Assistant Teaching Professor and Associate Professor/Associate Teaching Professor/Professor/Teaching Professor/Professor of Practice. The award nominations are heavily based on student reviews and ratings on quality of instruction.