UMD names Derek Paley as a 2020–2021 Distinguished Scholar-Teacher

Congratulations to Professor and Maryland Robotics Center Director Derek Paley (AE/ISR), who has been selected as a 2020-2021 Distinguished Scholar-Teacher by the University of Maryland.

Paley directs the Collective Dynamics and Control Laboratory and is the faculty advisor of the Autonomous Micro Air Vehicle Team, a student competition team that recently took second place in the Vertical Flight Society’s competition. Paley’s wide research interests cover three main areas. In the field of dynamics, estimation, and control he explores the cooperative control of autonomous vehicles, particularly groups of autonomous robotic fish. In the field of mobile sensor networks he conducts research into the adaptive sampling of spatiotemporal processes. He is also interested in biocomplexity and bioinspiration, particularly the quantitative modeling of animal groups and behavior.

The Distinguished Scholar-Teacher program recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding scholarly achievement along with equally outstanding accomplishments as teachers. Nominees for the award are selected by their peers; the winners are chosen by a panel of former Distinguished Scholar-Teachers. The Scholar-Teachers bring a passion for learning to their colleagues and students, and serve as models of what a professor at a fine research university should be. Winners receive a cash award to support instructional and scholarly activities, and make a public presentation in the fall semester on a topic of scholarly interest.

Six University of Maryland faculty members were honored this year. In addition to Paley, they include IREAP Director Thomas Murphy (ECE); Professor Steven Klees (International Education Policy); Professor Xiaoli Nan (Communication Science); Professor Rochelle Newman, Chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences; and Professor Saúl Sosnowski (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures).

Paley was nominated for the award by Aerospace Engineering Chair Norman Wereley and Professor Reza Ghodssi.

Paley is the tenth ISR faculty member to be honored with the Distinguished Scholar-Teacher designation. He joins Professor Sennur Ulukus (ECE/ISR) 2016–2017; Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) 2014–2015; Professor Min Wu (ECE/UMIACS) 2013–2014; Professor Carol Espy-Wilson (ECE/ISR), 2012–2013; Professor Avis Cohen (Biology/ISR), 2011–2012; Professor K.J. Ray Liu (ECE) 2007–2008; Professor Michael Fu (Robert H. Smith School of Business/ISR), 2004–2005; Professor Steve Marcus (ECE/ISR), 2000–2001; and Professor Emeritus Thomas McAvoy (CheBE/BioE/ISR), 1997-1998; as ISR winners of the award.

Published May 18, 2020