"When I am in a classroom, I do not stand in front of the students to teach them—perhaps I am too young, too inexperienced and too unorthodox to do that—I strongly believe that I am in the classroom to facilitate learning among students," Dhongde wrote in her reflective statement. "Every semester, we embark on this journey together—we learn the material together. The students learn it for the first time, I learn it the second, the third, the nth time…but the joy of discovery never fades."

The award is co-sponsored by the Georgia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) and BP America. Annually up to six $3,000 awards are given in recognition of teaching excellence and educational innovation on the part of Junior Faculty.