The MCL Director, Professor Kuo, received two distinguished awards for his contributions in graduate students teaching and mentorship this week – the 2014 Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award and a 2014 Mellon Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students Award.

The Northrop Grumman Award was announced during the Viterbi School of Engineering annual award luncheon at the USC Town and Gown on April 22, 12-2pm. The Mellon Award ceremony was held, in the Vineyard Room at the USC Davidson Conference Center on April 24, 4:30-6pm.

Prof. Kuo said, “In my 25-year academic career at USC, nothing has been more rewarding than serving as a mentor for a large variety of talented and hard-working graduate students.” He further added, “What mentorship attempts to accomplish is not only to nurture a maturing researcher, but also to mold a decent and respectable person in our society. In this sense, a mentor is like a pot maker. We have a responsibility to shape the values and perspectives of our students. A mentor is fundamentally a role model for mentees. Although what we say is important, both who we are and what we do are much more important.”

In his personal letter to Prof. Kuo, Dean Yannis C. Yortsos of the Viterbi School of Engineering wrote, “This honor is a great testament to your role in creating a culture of mentoring in USC Viterbi and demonstrating the commitment to nurture the new generation of scholars. On behalf of the entire Viterbi family, I wanted you to know how proud we are of your many accomplishments.”

Congratulations to Prof. Kuo for his distinguished achievements and received honorable recognition by both the Mellon Foundation and the Northrop Grumman Corporation.