Liu Receives UW Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award

Rongsong Liu, a professor in the University of Wyoming's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has an infectious passion for the subjects she teaches and uses practical and relatable examples to impart difficult topics, colleagues say.

Those accolades and others have resulted in Liu being named one of four recipients of the 2024 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award at UW. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. "Jack" Ellbogen to "foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW."

"Professor Liu fosters and encourages an incredible learning environment by demonstrating unrivaled enthusiasm for linear algebra, a plethora of applicable examples and an in-depth explanation of the topics in every lecture," one student wrote. "I seldom have had a professor who has been so enthusiastic, knowledgeable and innovative in the classroom as Professor Liu."

Liu, who has taught courses ranging from linear algebra for sophomores and juniors to math biology for graduate students, has been a member of UW's faculty since 2009, rising from assistant to associate to full professor. Her interests are mathematical biology, differential equations, dynamical systems and their interface. Her research projects involve formulation, analysis and applications of deterministic mathematical models for infectious diseases and ecological systems.

One of Liu's former Ph.D. students, Rachel Jennings, attributes her success to Liu.

"She was extremely supportive but also challenged me to further develop and hone my skills," Jennings wrote. "Moreover, she taught me how to work independently, ask plenty of questions and not become intimidated by being thrown into a new problem space. In addition to being a brilliant researcher, she is an exceptional teacher."

One undergraduate student says Liu always starts each class "with a smile on her face.

"She is continuously encouraging discussion and questions between her students. It is clear to see the importance she places on connecting with her students, as she brings common interests and examples into her discussions," the student wrote. "She also follows up her lecture topics with how they can be applied to coding, artificial intelligence, engineering and everyday life. While teaching, she has a way of sprinkling life advice here and there, such as the importance of relationships in both life and math."

"Rongsong Liu is an excellent teacher. She was able to properly articulate complex ideas in class in a way that every one of my peers understood," another undergraduate wrote. "Whenever we went to her office hours, we left with our questions perfectly answered and confident in ourselves. In class, she not only showed us real-world examples of how we could use her lessons, but also showed us how she is currently using them with her own research."

Professor Eric Moorhouse, a colleague in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, describes Liu as "a very capable and dedicated instructor" who's deserving of the teaching award.

Liu holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from York University in Toronto, Canada; a master's degree in mathematics from China's Fudan University; and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from China's Henan Normal University.