A liberal arts education is uniquely capable of preparing today’s students for lives of engaged citizenship in a rapidly changing global society. Puget Sound is known for its exceptional teaching faculty, a critical element of a challenging and rewarding educational experience.
The Puget Sound President’s Excellence in Teaching Award was established by former trustee Hal Eastman ’60 and his wife, Jacque ’61, to recognize faculty members who demonstrate exceptional teaching skills, independent of accomplishments in scholarship, research, or publication. Recipients are selected for their genuine passion for teaching, an ability to inspire students to learn, a capacity to set high expectations and challenge students to meet them, a respect for students as individuals, an enduring intellectual curiosity, and the capacity for growth, change, and vitality in the classroom and beyond.
David Chiu (2022)
Professor, Department of Computer Science
David Chiu teaches a range of introductory and advanced courses in computer science, database systems, high-performance computing, and operating systems. Helping to create a safe and welcoming learning environment in his classes, he often shares his personal experience as an immigrant to the U.S. and a first-generation college student. Chiu's teaching philosophy centers on the question, "How do I best serve my students in this moment?" and students respond, routinely describing him as "amazing," "a wonderful professor," "a joy to learn from," "clear, engaging, and well organized," and "very encouraging, patient, and respectful."
Chiu's impact goes beyond the classroom. His approach—and approachability—makes a profound impression on students' lives. One recent student described how Chiu helped them get back on track after struggling with depression; another writes that Chiu's classes "really put into perspective what I want to do with my life after college."
