Bain, O’Neill, and Vijayaraghavan Honored with 2026 University Teaching Awards

Northwestern Engineering's Connor Bain, David O’Neill, and Aravindan Vijayaraghavan are among the seven Northwestern faculty members honored with 2026 University Teaching Awards. The annual recognition is given to professors who demonstrate excellence and innovation in undergraduate teaching.

“Our honorees’ uncompromising commitment to teaching at the highest levels not only creates impactful classroom experiences for our students, but it also brings distinction upon Northwestern — contributing to our excellent reputation and attracting future classes of the brightest students,” Provost Kathleen Hagerty said. “We are truly grateful for these talented faculty members for going above and beyond for the University.”

The recipients—which also include Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences faculty members Elisa Baena, Sarah Rodriguez, Scott Sowerby, and Sadie Wignall—were nominated by the deans or department chairs of the schools or colleges in which they have principal appointments. Honorees were selected by a committee chaired by the provost and made up of senior faculty members, University administrators and a student representative.

“These exceptional faculty members are being recognized by colleagues and students for their significant impact on undergraduate education at Northwestern,” said Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Karen Smilowitz. “Their innovative approaches to teaching and thoughtful mentorship undoubtedly will be lifelong sources of inspiration for their students.”

The award includes a salary stipend for the next three years as well as funds for professional development. The term begins at the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.

The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 19, in Guild Lounge in Scott Hall on the Evanston campus. The event will be livestreamed and a live link will be available on the University Teaching Awards website the day of the event.

Connor Bain

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

In all his classes, Connor Bain, assistant professor of instruction in computer science, centers the idea that “teaching is learning.” Drawing on a software engineering concept called “rubber duck debugging,” which asks practitioners to pretend they are explaining their code to a rubber duck, he stresses the importance of complete understanding and has been known to hand out actual rubber ducks to his students.

“Bain is an incredibly talented and dedicated teacher who handles a crushing student load with empathy and grace,” according to Samir Khuller, Peter and Adrienne Barris Chair of Computer Science at the McCormick School of Engineering. Gary Saul Morson, who was chair of Willard Residential College, where Connor was assistant chair, shared, “Connor is the one who makes everything run well and people feel good, without calling attention to himself or taking credit.”

Students appreciate Bain for making courses fun and for his dedication. One noted, “I have watched him command a lecture hall of hundreds with the same intimacy and enthusiasm as he did our small upper-level seminar.” Another student said that Bain’s approach “proves that high-level teaching can be both joyous and intellectually demanding.”

David O’Neill

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

For David O’Neill, professor of instruction in biomedical engineering, teaching is defined by a single commitment: “helping students draw out understanding from themselves rather than receiving it.” He wants his students to leave not only with technical competency, but “a love for what engineering gives them — tools for understanding the world that no other discipline provides in quite the same way.”

Mitra Hartmann, chair and professor of biomedical engineering, calls O’Neill “the most versatile faculty member in the department.” He has taught courses ranging from experimental design to biomechanics to pharmaceutical engineering. As Hartmann noted, “He is not merely teaching material, he is shaping how students understand themselves as engineers.”

That orientation shapes how O’Neill structures every element of his courses — lectures, projects and laboratory work alike. As one student said, “The labs were not treated as procedural exercises, but as opportunities to connect abstract systems concepts to real-world biomedical applications.” Students consistently note that his courses are demanding, and they welcome that: “Professor O’Neill is hard on students, but it’s because he wants us to come to conclusions on our own, wants to make sure we are learning.”

Another student said, “Professor O’Neill molded so many of the skills I boast about in job interviews.” His supportive approach stands out as well: “He understands that students learn best when they feel heard, engaged and at ease.”

Aravindan Vijayaraghavan

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

As Aravindan Vijayaraghavan, associate professor of computer science, has witnessed the computer science discipline “become more interdisciplinary and data-centric,” his teaching philosophy has evolved.

“I enjoy creating and teaching new courses; students are also excited about taking courses that cover new scientific advances in computer science,” he said. At the same time, his focus remains on ensuring that “students are exposed to foundational ideas that underlie these major developments.” Teaching these courses, he added, has also deepened his own understanding of where the field is headed.

Referring to Vijayaraghavan’s unwavering commitment to excellence, his chair Samir Khuller pointed out that, “Academia thrives on a few overachievers doing the work, not just to advance their own research, but also to enable those around them to succeed… Vijayaraghavan is one of those overachievers.”

His students echo this sentiment. “Not only does Professor Vijayaraghavan have complete command over the subject matter he teaches, but he is exceptionally skilled in communicating it,” said one. Another said, “Professor Vijayaraghavan is kind. Although he has overwhelming research obligations, he would come into class with a smile on his face every day, excited to teach.”