By Steve Tollefson, Educational Development -- Student Life
Posted April 14, 1999

Oliver M. O'Reilly. Jane Scherr photo.

"Teaching is a magical experience," says Oliver M. O'Reilly, professor of mechanical engineering. "It is tremendously personal for me and is woven into my character, interests and perspective on life."

Students embrace O'Reilly's attitude from the moment they enter his class. "He is very focused on student learning and takes great effort to help if we are having any problems," says one student.

A transfer student recalls his first class with O'Reilly: "I had a lot of preconceived notions about what classes at Berkeley would be like and how they would be challenging. As it turned out, that first class was the most challenging of all my classes at Berkeley. More importantly, it was the most captivating."

O'Reilly believes his role is "to guide the students in such a way that they learn to think differently and to view the world in another light at the end of their journey."

O'Reilly is a specialist in dynamics and continuum mechanics. He received his BE from the National University of Ireland and his PhD from Cornell University. He joined the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1992.

(return to main Distinguished Teaching Awards page)

April 14 - 20 (Volume 27, Number 30)
Copyright 1999, The Regents of the University of California.
Produced and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley.
Comments? E-mail berkeleyan@pa.urel.berkeley.edu.