Domingo Mery, academic from the Department of Computer Science (DCC UC) and part of the XCV Research group (X-rays and Computer Vision) , has been recognized as one of the 29 recipients of the Teaching Excellence Award 2021 (PRED, for Premio en Excelencia Docente in spanish), for his outstanding work in teaching, commitment, relationship with students and representation of University values.
This award, granted for the first time in 2007, and in whose selection process includes the participation of peers, students and multiple academic units participate, recognizes at an institutional level those with outstanding teaching practices, in addition to commitment, innovation and dedication beyond duty, through an evaluation of both the expertise in their field of knowledge, the impact and significance of their teaching on the academic and values formation of their students, commitment to peers at the institutional level and the use of innovative teaching methodologies.
Jorge Baier, Director of Education of the School of Engineering UC, highlighted the importance of the recognition of Professor Mery, noting that:
"The award for teaching excellence (PRED) is the most important recognition that a teacher can receive regarding its work. In the selection process, it considers the results of the teacher surveys, which are analyzed in detail, all the written comments of the students are read , the opinion of the Department Directors is consulted, and the academic advisor of the Student Center is asked to approve the candidates. This year was very difficult to make the internal selection of teachers within the School, because there were a good number of candidates with excellent teaching results ".
Domingo Mery thanking his family, DCC UC and the rest of the university community, expressed that this award not only does it represent recognition of his teaching method, but also of the relationship that he has established with the students:
"This recognition has been possible thanks to my mutual trust with the students. I feel that I have placed enormous trust in them, in the sense that I know that they have all the capacities to learn, understanding that each one has their own pace of learning and above all, their particular individual talent. In turn, they have exposed me their personal difficulties when they have had them, working together to find a solution, which undoubtedly produces an affective bond that enables them to learn without fear of making mistakes, allowing for a freedom to explore and learn using their curious minds. This connection generates a reciprocal trust that they place in me, so that I can teach them and lead them towards reflective and critical thinking, with an ethical seal that seems to me a priority in the times that we live in. Much beyond the grade, for me the important thing is that they have a good time in my classes learning and reflecting. Only then will they have the motivation to bring out the best they have from within.