John Dropkin Tutor of the Year Award

Professor John J. Dropkin had a long, rich, and multifaceted association with School of Engineering, first as a graduate student, then as a faculty member, as Chair of the Physics Department, and later as Professor Emeritus. What may not be as well known is that after he retired from the Physics Department in 1978, Professor Dropkin continued his commitment to science education at Polytechnic by founding the Learning Center and directing it for ten years. This was a place where students could go for academic support in physics, chemistry, and calculus. They could speak with Professor Dropkin, or with one of the peer tutors he recruited and trained. Students could ask questions, get help with their homework, and prepare for exams.

Then, as now, engineering students were intelligent, curious, and hardworking young people with dreams of building their futures through careers in science and engineering. Like today’s students, they were often the first in their families to go to college, and many of them were recent immigrants to the United States. They often juggled their educational and professional goals with more immediate financial needs. Professor Dropkin was committed to reaching these talented young people through the sciences and to supporting their efforts to succeed in their chosen fields.

The Polytechnic Tutoring Center (PTC) is the direct descendent of Professor Dropkin’s program. We are proud to continue the work he began.

In that spirit, The Dropkin Tutor of the Year Award was established in 2007. The PTC gives this award each year in memory of John J. Dropkin, who chaired the physics department from 1947 until 1978, then served the students by establishing mathematics and science tutoring services. This award recognizes peer tutors who continue this tradition by helping their fellow students at the Polytechnic Tutoring Center.

This year's John J. Dropkin Tutor of the Year Award goes to:

Irene Yang and Tommy Kashino

Irene has been working at the PTC since the Fall of 2023, tutoring physics for a total of 3 academic years. Addition to the intro-level physics courses, she has been providing tutoring for some of the required courses in the Quantum Technology minor program and tries to provide help for whatever questions the students bring in (i.e. questions about other courses and academic career). She is always proactive in running the mock exam sessions and communicating with professors in the Physics department. With her bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics and minor in Quantum Technology, she is now planning to continue her studies through a Physics Ph.D. program at Yale where she will be focusing on Quantum matter and information research.