Milam-McGinty-Kaun

Warning: with bragging content.

I won this year's Milam-McGinty-Kaun Award, the divisional teaching award given to outstanding graduate students. I was extremely delighted when I first learned the news. Here is what I wrote in my thank-you note to Prof. Kaun.

I am honored and greatly encouraged by receiving the Milam-McGinty-Kaun Award. As one of Tony Soprano’s captains used to say, “Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in.” After being a TA for 11 consecutive quarters and teaching 2 summer sessions, I was burnt out. Were it not for Prof. Kaun’s generosity, my work would not have been recognized and I would have lost all the stamina needed to continue teaching. The encouragement of receiving the Milam-McGinty-Kaun Award will keep me going and propel me well into a flourishing teaching and research career in the future. For that, I am very grateful.

Development economics

I have been observing the distinct pattern of using the elevators in the department building. People from developing countries are the heavy users. Many of them like to take the elevators down from 4th floor to 2nd floor. On the other hand, people from developed countries tend to shun the elevators. I have noticed that a few professors even carry their bikes up the stairs. What does that tell you? I would conclude that we need to get everyone rich before we talk about the environment and all that. Or maybe people from the developed world should volunteer to carry those poor graduate students up and down the building.

(Picture: http://www.sandhyanankani.com/wordpress/?p=190)