As I look back over my life, the central role models for me have been teachers. They have had a profound effect on my own teaching philosophy. To be a competent teacher, I believe that one must concentrate on four principles.

First, I believe a teacher must have thorough command of the subject matter. I prepare for my lectures by reviewing the material, reading my notes, browsing reference books and papers, again and again until I feel comfortable that I understand it thoroughly. In addition, I try to integrate into my undergraduate classes the design and engineering component of my research. I give the students challenging design projects for which there is no set solution. They must determine their own solution within the confines of space and time.

Since I love my work, my enthusiasm comes naturally. I seem to have little difficulty encouraging questions, even in reasonably large lectures. I believe that this is because students find me neither aloof nor forbidding. However, I am a demanding instructor, setting high standards for myself as well as the students.

Second, I use visual aids whenever possible. I have developed a collection of detailed transparencies for use in my lectures, and I give copies to the students in advance. This way, they can concentrate on what I have to say, annotating the diagrams rather than furiously writing everything down.

Third, I learn students' names and I treat them as individuals. To that end, I collect questionnaires from all my students, asking them about their technical interests and what they hope to learn from the course. I also take their photographs and make a sincere effort to learn their names, even in classes with over two hundred students. It's amazing how responsive students become when they think you know their names. I take seriously my responsibility as an advisor and role model for my students. I let them know they can approach me at any time to ask questions or seek advice.

Fourth, I believe in leveraging other instructors' notes and materials, and I make my own materials available for others. Whenever I first tackle a course, I ask the previous instructor for his or her notes. If we could only afford it, I'd have every one of my lectures videotaped. This allows the lectures to be reused: by me to review previous material, by students to clarify problem areas, or by colleagues who are planning to teach a similar course.

At this point in my career, I look forward to another thirty years of learning more from my students than they can ever learn from me.