University recognizes Axford for teaching excellence

Axford began his career in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) at the University of Illinois 44 years ago, following faculty positions at Texas A&M and Northwestern universities. He has taught nearly all of NPRE’s 400-level courses over the years, having initiated and developed many of them. Axford also played the central role in shaping NPRE’s undergraduate curriculum a few years ago, developing and first teaching several of the new and revised courses.

NPRE upperclassmen have been known to counsel newer students to “Take any course that Axford teaches, and whatever else you need for your degree.” In fact, students hold him in such high esteem that this year's t-shirt from the American Nuclear Society student chapter features an etching of Axford’s portrait on the front.

“Students are very sensitive to faculty whom (the students) can respect for knowing something. It’s the knowledge that draws their interest,” Axford said when interviewed for NPRE’s 50th Anniversary video in 2008.

Axford’s dedication to his students is demonstrated through the teaching course load he continually requests. He always teaches a minimum of two--and frequently three--upper-division undergraduate and graduate-level courses each semester, and routinely is available to provide students help and answer questions. His mentoring style is to set and expect high intellectual standards, but with meaningful personal involvement in his students’ learning processes.

“Teaching and research are coupled together. One way to attract good research students is to pay attention to the teaching function," he added. "You get perceived as doing teaching right and you don’t have any problems attracting research students.”

Axford has produced 53 PhDs, and continues to keep in touch and advise them as they progress in their careers. His dedication to the mentoring of individual students at each stage of their professional developments is extraordinary. Axford is legendary in the vast web of his PhD students who have gone on to conduct research in support of our government’s long-standing policy of developing and maintaining a credible nuclear deterrence capability.

This latest award adds to a long list of achievements Axford has accumulated. Numerous times he has been honored with the American Nuclear Society Student Chapter Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. He has also received the College of Engineering Rose Award for Teaching Excellence (2008), the Graduate College Outstanding Mentor Award (2004); and the College of Engineering Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence (1985). Twice before he was a finalist for the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (1979, 1981).

Axford’s dedication to his craft is also reflected in his Instructor and Course Evaluation System (ICES) scores, which are consistently at the top of the NPRE Department and the College of Engineering. He is always included on the “Teachers Ranked as Excellent List.”
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Contact: Roy A. Axford, Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, 217/333-4399.

Writer: Susan Mumm editor/alumni affairs coordinator, Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, 217/244-5382.

If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor.