4/28/2023 Debra Levey Larson
Written by Debra Levey Larson
High praise from young faculty members in the Department of Aerospace Engineering led to Professor Greg Elliott receiving this year’s College Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentoring in The Grainger College of Engineering.
“Whenever we ask advice regarding lab space, organization of said space, complex interfacing with Facilities and Services and other university entities, investment on instrumentation, or other critical decisions, Professor Elliott always has a wise answer, that, in the long run always turns to be the right answer as well,” said AE Assistant Professor Francesco Panerai. “He has a broad knowledge of the entire university system, particularly when it comes to the realization of complex research infrastructures, and he makes this knowledge available to his mentees to enable their success.”
Panerai provided a specific example about how Elliott played a critical role in standing up the Plasmatron X wind tunnel this past year by sharing shared his convictions about where the equipment should be located.
“Right from the initial operations, it was clear that access to a high ceiling the off-campus location offered was critical to the installation of the tunnel—something none of us could appreciate or see during the planning phase but that Professor Elliott recognized thanks to his experience. He had the foresight and steered us in the right direction,” Panerai said.
Panerai also said Elliott’s long-standing expertise in mechanical machining means he can make or fix anything and brings creative ideas on how to make things simpler, cheaper, and better. “I cannot express enough how critical this is, especially for young faculties who need to aggressively pursue new ideas. He also enjoys in mentoring and directing us all even in this practical aspect of the everyday lab life.”
AE Associate Professor Phil Ansell said Elliott’s generosity inspired him to do the same.
“When I first started out, Greg openly shared a great deal of expensive equipment with my group for wind tunnel experiments,” Ansell said. “He has continued this with our junior faculty, and I have joined suit. This has built a tremendous culture of collaboration within the department.”
Ansell also said Elliott was one of the few people who provided pragmatic advice about what to expect across the junior faculty years, where to prioritize valuable time and effort, and how to thrive in the process of navigating the early years, which are often overwhelming.
“Greg has remained a tremendous resource for pre-tenure faculty, both within the Department of Aerospace Engineering and for others across campus,” Ansell said.
Panerai pointed to specific skills that make Elliott such an effective mentor.
“He is always calm and comforting even when there are emergencies or critical decisions and he is a pleasure to work with,” Panerai said. “He inspires a positive work environment with students, colleagues, and lab mates.”