Floyd receives 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award

Each year, six members of NC State’s faculty join the ranks of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers upon receiving the Outstanding Teacher Award. This year, selected by the Senior Class Council, Dr. Brian Floyd, Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at NC State was recognized with the Award for his excellence as a teacher and mentor. 

Each year, six members of NC State’s faculty join the ranks of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers upon receiving the Outstanding Teacher Award. This year, selected by the Senior Class Council, Dr. Brian Floyd, Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at NC State was recognized with the Award for his excellence as a teacher and mentor.

Since joining the faculty of ECE in 2010, his students have provided exceptional evaluations, leading to this award, describing him as a “passionate teacher,” possessing a “tremendous amount of energy” and “zealous to innovate.”

Dr. Brian FloydPrior to arriving at NC State, Floyd led a distinguished career at IBM Research, where his work included the demonstration of some of the world’s first 60-GHz transceivers in silicon and the development of 60-GHz phased-array transceivers, antennas, and packages. Building on his experience, his teaching responsibilities include ECE 511 (Analog Electronics) and ECE 712 (Integrated Circuits for Wireless Communications).

His background in industry and research has contributed to his successful mentoring of students. “When we solved problems in class, Dr.Floyd constantly emphasized breaking a complicated circuit of transistors into known sub-circuits to understand its working. I was able to apply this technique during an interview for my current job, in which I was asked to describe the working of a transistor level oscillator circuit. Figuring out the circuit was critical for the subsequent interview questions,” commented one of Dr. Floyd’s former students.

“It is a priviledge to work and teach at NC State, and this award is an incredible honor,” expressed Floyd on receipt of this latest award. While at NC State, he has been recognized with multiple awards, including his receipt last year of the William F. Lane Outstanding Teacher Award.

Floyd will be publically recognized as as recipent of the Outstanding Teacher Award at an awards ceremony hosted by the Provost, Warwick A. Arden, who acknowledged Floyd noting that his “commitment to the success of [his] students is the embodiment of NC State’s mission and vision.”

The Outstanding Teacher Award recognizes excellence in teaching at all levels, and receipients are then eligible to receive the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Alumni Distinguished Professor Award.