Thomas Walker honored with emeritus status
Thomas Walker, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Education, formerly the Division of Engineering Fundamentals, in the Virginia Tech College of Engineering, has been conferred the title of “associate professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1988, Walker championed the use of appropriate educational technologies and pedagogies to empower student learning and respond to a changing world. He received both the university's XCaliber Award and the college's W.S. “Pete” White Innovation in Engineering Education Award.
Walker developed and taught a wide variety of undergraduate general engineering courses, critically rethinking his teaching methods to incorporate more active learning strategies in his courses, an effort that earned him recognition as a Edward S. Diggs Teaching Scholar by the university's Academy of Teaching Excellence.
Walker held leadership roles in professional organizations, including the American Society for Engineering Education and the college’s curriculum committee, which he chaired for many years.
Walker earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and his master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.