PULLMAN, Wash.–Washington State University Associate Professor Kim Singhrs has been named the Marian E. Smith Foundation Faculty Achievement Award winner for 1997.
The $5,000 award is given for significant and meritorious achievement in teaching.
Singhrs, a member of the School of Architecture faculty, also holds an adjunct appointment in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The expert in computer animation and graphics is an artist and sculptor, an inspiring teacher who students and colleagues describe as a “renaissance man.”
He will discuss the development of his unique, cross-disciplinary cluster of courses in computer animation for students in architecture, computer science and fine arts during a program that begins at 4:10 p.m. Nov. 10 in Lewis Alumni Centre.
“(Singhrs) has been exemplary as a professor who goes the extra mile in behalf of his students, their professional development and the educational program at WSU,” said Dean Robert Altenkirch, College of Engineering and Architecture. Singhrs and his colleagues in computer science have built an interdisciplinary, two-course sequence that has put WSU in the forefront of computer animation and 3-D graphics education.
Some 55 of Singhrs’ former students are pursuing careers in software engineering, commercial animation and related positions with such companies as Sony Pictures, Imageworks, Autodesk, Intel and HP.
Singhrs has worked tirelessly to secure the funding and software/hardware donations necessary to maintain the laboratory facilities for the computer-animation sequence, added collaborator Patrick Flynn, computer science. In 1996-97, Singhrs’ efforts resulted in donations worth more than $950,000.
Singhrs is one of those tireless resources who makes WSU such a special experience, added nominator Rafi Samizay, director of the School of Architecture. He has managed to creatively mix his background in fine arts with those of architecture and computer science.
Singhrs earned his bachelor’s degree in communications (cinema sequence) from WSU, as well as bachelor’s degree in fine arts. His master’s degree in fine arts also was earned at WSU. He joined the faculty as a visiting lecturer in 1977, and received a faculty appointment a year later.
Kim Singhrs will receive his award from WSU President Sam Smith and make a public presentation on his teaching achievements at 4:10 p.m. Nov. 10 at Lewis Alumni Centre.
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