Her pure honesty and intention was always felt by students and colleagues alike. To know Wendy was to be a better you.”
About Wendy
The Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students was created in memory of Yang (Wendy) Liu in recognition of her leadership among IP-IALC faculty in a number of capacities.
Wendy was an Office of International Program’s Intensive American Language Center (IALC) faculty member who taught Intensive English at WSU for nearly a decade. She was a bilingual Chinese/English speaker with a fervent passion for teaching Intensive English. She loved WSU, her students, and the IALC faculty.
Wendy demonstrated grace, empathy, and excellence in her teaching and service to the university. She helped pioneer many of our best practices in working with Eastern Asian students and helped engage students and faculty outside of the classroom. She always paid particular attention to creating an excellent teaching and learning environment for linguistically and culturally diverse students.
Wendy passed away from complications due to cancer in 2019.
Please consider nominating a faculty member for this award by April 10, 2026. Be prepared to discuss, in your nomination, why the faculty member should be recognized.
Wendy’s life calls on us to be our best selves, to give to our students freely, and to look at each and every person in their best possible light.
Past winners
Michael L Allen, PhD, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, WSU Pullman
About Dr. Allen
Allen said he tries to meet with students and provide a clear pathway to graduation depending on their interests and major. He builds a spreadsheet with each individual student with additional pages for double majors, so they can have a strong outline for their time at WSU.
“No student opens up the WSU catalog and says there’s an eight-semester program, I’m going to follow it,” he said.
He keeps open office hours that are well attended and offers more than just academic advice. In the classroom, Allen said he tries to accommodate every student’s individual strengths by making sure his lectures touch on the four traditional language arts of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Some students learn better through reading, others through speaking, so Allen said he includes each skill in every class. He said it was a high honor to receive the award.
“Any good teacher will say the students really are the number one priority,” he said.
The nomination
Dear Yang (Wendy) Liu Award Selection Committee,
I am nominating Dr. Allen for the Yang (Wendy) Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students at WSU. My goal is to recognize his extensive dedication to the academic and personal development of international students. Dr. Allen has been an exceptional mentor and advisor who has demonstrated a deep commitment and understanding towards students from diverse backgrounds.
From the beginning, Dr. Allen has provided invaluable guidance that helped me navigate the unfamiliar territory of the U.S. academic system. He has always answered my academic questions regarding rules, course selection, and research opportunities. Moreover, his open-door policy meant that he was always available to discuss any questions or concerns I had, which was especially helpful compared to my peers who struggled to receive timely advice from their advisors.
One of the most significant challenges I faced was adapting my graduation plan. I initially planned to graduate in three years but later decided to pursue a double major, which made it challenging to plan my coursework. Dr. Allen approached these changes with patience and ingenuity, crafting a new academic plan that accommodated my aspirations without compromising the quality of my education. This flexibility and willingness to invest time in my educational journey were pivotal to my continued success at WSU.
In addition to his outstanding teaching strategies, Dr. Allen has profoundly enhanced my learning experience. His Physics 188 and 189 courses were structured to promote active learning and collaboration, incorporating group projects that enabled students to engage deeply with the material and each other. This approach facilitated a deeper understanding of complex subjects and fostered a supportive community among classmates, which is invaluable for international students adjusting to a new academic and cultural environment.
Dr. Allen’s mentorship extended beyond the classroom, offering guidance on extracurricular engagement and professional development opportunities. He encouraged me to participate in the physics club, where I met like-minded individuals and built a supportive community. Additionally, his advisement on various internships and job opportunities has been instrumental in my growth. His ability to listen and provide thoughtful, tailored advice has helped me navigate university life’s myriad opportunities and challenges.
Dr. Allen’s support, guidance, and teaching have had a significant impact on my academic performance. He is dedicated to ensuring that international students like me adapt and succeed at WSU. His approachable nature, adaptability in teaching, and commitment to incorporating global perspectives into his curriculum have made a significant difference in my academic and personal development. Therefore, Dr. Allen stands out as a deserving recipient of this award, reflecting his unwavering commitment to the success and well-being of international students at WSU.
Sincerely,
Misir Huseynli (freshman Astrophysics Major)
Date: 03/28/2024
Shyam Sablani, PhD, Professor of Food Engineering, WSU Pullman
Shyam Sablani, PhD, Editor and professor of Food Engineering at WSU Pullman, has been named the 2024 recipient of the Yang “Wendy” Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students. Dr. Sablani’s WSU Insider award article.
About Dr. Sablani
Learning in a new cultural environment can be intimidating and challenging. Teaching international students is not only an opportunity to make a significant difference in their academic and career trajectories; it also provides faculty with new perspectives on many fronts. These students bring diverse technical and cultural backgrounds, unique sets of skills and learning styles, and I always strive to accommodate student needs and interests, helping them identify their interests and unique strengths, motivate them to explore new frontiers, and assisting them in finding different ways to further sharpen their skills.
Shyam Sablani
- Professor of Food Engineering in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering
- Fellow of Institute of Food Technologists since 2024
- Excellence in Research Award, CAHNRS, Washington State University, 2024
- Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award, 2021
- Excellence in Advising Award, CAHNRS, Washington State University, 2018
- Institute of Food Technologists Marcel Loncin Research Prize, 2016
“It is most satisfying to see students succeed academically and achieve their life goals, as well as witnessing engineering creations from our lab finding practical applications in the real world.”
I received my BE from National Institute of Technology, Raipur and M.S. from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Mechanical Engineering, and Ph.D. from McGill University, Canada in Food Engineering. Prior to joining Washington State University in 2007, I worked as an Associate Professor at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman, a research associate at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, and a senior service engineer at OMC Computers Limited in New Delhi, India.
My current research interests include development of sustainable and eco-friendly food packaging, as well as the creation of novel education tools for enhanced food science and engineering education. Our research has contributed to the development of next-generation polymer packaging for ready-to-eat meals with extended shelf life benefitting soldiers and astronauts.
My research and education program have received support from USDA NIFA-Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, USFA-Foreign Agriculture Services, Washington State Department of Agriculture and Commodity Commissions, and private foundations.
I have authored more than 250 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, more than 30 book chapters and have presented more than 100 conference papers. Additionally, I have edited a handbook on Food and Bioprocess Modeling Techniques.
In terms of mentoring, I have trained more than 30 Ph.D. and MS students, as well as over 20 postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars. I have also served on more than 50 graduate student committees.
I am a member of several professional organization including the Institute of Food Technologists, the Flexible Packaging Association, and the International Society of Food Engineering. Additionally, I serve as the Scientific Editor of Journal of Food Engineering. I enjoy reading books, cooking, being in nature and taking long walks with my wife, Sunita.
The nomination
It is with immense pride and pleasure that I nominate and write a letter of support for Dr. Shyam Sablani for the Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students. Dr. Sablani is my teacher, advisor, mentor, and role model. I have pursued different courses offered by him and currently conducting my doctoral dissertation under his supervision. Dr. Sablani is an extraordinary teacher and researcher in the field of food engineering.
The graduate students in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering are mostly (>80%) international and come from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Sablani respects student needs regarding culture, race, gender identity, and religious faith. These students also bring varied technical backgrounds, unique sets of skills and learning styles. Dr. Sablani always learn from students and accommodates their needs and advises them accordingly. He is an excellent listener and create a comfortable environment for students to share their views and interests. He has taught and mentored students from 20+ countries. This character helps Dr. Sablani to identify, define and facilitate students solve their problems. He is flexible in his approach to increase student success academically, in careers and in life.
Dr. Sablani helps students find their own passion and direction in life rather than give them definitive direction. He acts as a guide and mentor but help students to become more self-sufficient. He helps students develop other success skills, including the problem analysis, communication, leadership, management, multidisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking, and investigation needed to succeed in life. He encourages them to develop
lifelong learning and self-management skills. Additionally, during my first year, when I was struggling to get accustomed with the culture of the university as an International Student, he kept providing me additional encouragement. He gave me sufficient time, support, and encouragement to help me pass my struggling phase. Dr. Sablani is highly motivated and dedicated individual and passionate about and committed to wellbeing of students in the department. Dr. Sablani assists students beyond their program of study including helping them with awards, summer internships, job applications and interviews. As a result, his students have won national awards, scholarships, honors, published their research in highly ranked peer reviewed journal, presented their research findings at national scientific meetings and later found positions in top universities and global companies. He regularly trains students on scientific writing and places emphasis on avoiding any kind of plagiarism. Dr. Sablani has been instrumental in creating a Food Engineering Graduate Student Club at WSU where he served as a faculty adviser for more than ten years. He has guided the club to address various professional needs of its members. WSU Food Engineering Club is first of its kind in the nation, it also has served as a role model and motivated formation of three other graduate student clubs in the department. Consequently, he received Excellence in Advising Award from the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, WSU in 2018.
l have been extremely impressed by Dr. Sablani’s motivation, dedication, and commitment in teaching courses and mentoring students. It is with great pleasure I recommend Dr. Sablani an ideal nominee for the Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students. I believe this award will act as a catalyst for further achievements in his already illustrious career and would be very happy if the committee selected him for the
award.
Thank you for considering my nomination and letter of support for Dr. Sablani
Submitted by Smit Patel, Ph.D. Candidate in Food Engineering
Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Nairanjana “Jan” Dasgupta, PhD, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, WSU Pullman
About Dr. Dasgupta
Director and Professor of Data Analytics Nairanjana (Jan) Dasgupta has been awarded the 2023 Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students.
Dasgupta is the Boeing Distinguished Professor of Science and Mathematics and professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. She also directs the Data Analytics program.
Nominator Zhiyuan (Freeman) Chen wrote, “Professor Jan is an exceptional teacher who goes above and beyond to support and engage international students in their learning.” Professor Jan’s WSU Insider award article.
Bala Krishnamoorthy, PhD, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, WSU Vancouver
About Dr. Krishnamoorthy
Bala Krishnamoorthy, PhD, professor of mathematics and statistics at WSU Vancouver, has been named the first recipient of the Yang “Wendy” Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students.
Krishnamoorthy received the award at the International Students’ graduation gala on May 6, 2022. In a videotaped acceptance, he said, “I am incredibly honored to accept the Yang Liu award from International Programs. Wendy set a really high standard for teaching international students well. It is a great honor for me to even be considered for filling the shoes that she left.”
In nominating Krishnamoorthy for the award, Ph.D. student James Asare noted, “In all three of Bala’s classes I took, what struck me the most was his careful approach in recognizing his classroom mix of international and local students and leveraging well-thought-out pedagogies to create a space that was expressive of understanding through active engagement. His style was very different from what I was used to, especially in advanced math classrooms – that he will take extra time in every class to explain plagiarism, appreciate the difficulty of what he was teaching, where a student was at in understanding, give extra time for assignment turn in to promote academic integrity, give make-up credit chances, respond to course emails at odd hours (I was guilty of sending some of these), and even drive to Pullman (he taught the classes from Vancouver) for sit-ins where students could chat with him in-person about their concerns.”
The nomination
November 18, 2021
Dear Yang Liu Excellence in Teaching Award Committee,
This letter offers my recommendation for Bala Krishnamoorthy – my recent past advisor, for the above stated award. I have known Bala for the past two years and he served as the chair of my master’s committee in mathematics. I was privileged to take three courses taught by Bala which stirred up my interest and culminated in me working on computational applications related to math education in my project. In all three of Bala’s classes that I took, what struck me the most was his careful approach in recognizing his classroom mix of international and local students and leveraging well thought out pedagogies to create a space that was expressive of understanding through active engagement. His style was very different from what I was used to especially in advanced math classrooms – that he will take extra time in every class to explain plagiarism, appreciate the difficulty of what he was teaching, where a student was at in understanding, give extra time for assignment turn in to promote academic integrity, give make-up credit chances, respond to course emails at odd hours (I was guilty of sending some of these) and even drive down to Pullman (he taught the classes from Vancouver) for sit-in’s where students could chat with him in-person about their concerns.
With the friendly character he exhibited in the classroom, it was natural for me to ask him to be my
advisor. It is surprising that in the whole department, he was the only one I knew who was intentional about having a cross-disciplinary research group. He invited people from electrical engineering, chemistry, physics, biology, post-docs, and some of his former students working in industry to come give us talks frequently. Our group was always up to date with research, new tools, and methodologies. Particularly, it was a grooming experience for me because as an international student that was beginning to think about research, I was able to learn about standards, interact with senior colleagues who were published and were engaged in inter-disciplinary research. I liked the fact that he blended all of this with real-world experiences and expectations of job search, resume and job pitching strategies, and career pathways and possibilities that we could explore. I relished our weekly meetings always.
Bala, surprised me outside the classroom. Knowing how busy he was working on multiple projects, I had little expectation of his time, but he showed me that my well-being was also his concern. From giving me study resources, general counsel on acclimating in the US, been my main support here when my mom took ill back at home during Covid, and when I had some medical issues of my own, he assumed a father role in my stay here at WSU. He is one of the few people here who know that I engage in poetry when I am not doing math.
Bala, has always had my best interest at heart. After my master’s project I felt strongly drawn to math education and he reached out to professors specialized in that domain here at WSU to aid my transition into the program. He has been very understanding and supportive of me and other international students that I know. Another outstanding thing he keeps doing is to check on us and send us internship opportunities we may not know we qualify for, from which I have landed my first internship opportunity that I really love. I believe there is more that can be said about Bala’s dedication to excellence by many. Please contact me if there is any additional information you need.
Thank you for your time. Regards,
James O. Asare
PhD student (Noyce research assistant, WSU)