Sarah Jabbour receives Towner Prize for Outstanding GSIs

Sarah Jabbour, PhD student of computer science and engineering at the University of Michigan, has been awarded the Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) by the College of Engineering. This award honors GSIs in the College of Engineering who have demonstrated exceptional creativity, innovation, and dedication in their teaching.

Sarah is recognized for her contributions as a GSI for EECS 442: Introduction to Computer Vision, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and instructional skills. She developed and delivered lectures on advanced topics, including neural networks and diffusion models, making these complex theoretical topics accessible to students by emphasizing their practical applications. Her teaching style and structured approach deeply enriched the learning experience for her students.

“Sarah’s remarkable ability to manage a demanding workload and take initiative in course development exemplifies her leadership and dedication to student success,” affirmed her nominator.

In addition to her instructional achievements, Sarah has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to mentoring. She was an integral support and resource for her students, holding regular office hours, answering hundreds of questions on Piazza, and providing critical guidance on final projects. Her mentorship extended beyond the classroom, where she helped facilitate connections for students seeking to pursue research opportunities and careers in artificial intelligence (AI).

Highlighting her impact, Sarah has received exceptional feedback from her students, with one noting, “Sarah empowered us to find our path forward.” Another said, “Sarah was one of the best GSIs I have had at Michigan… She was very patient and extremely good at transferring knowledge to help me understand the material.”

Sarah’s dedication and innovative approach as a GSI have made a lasting impact on U-M students. The Towner Prize will support her continued efforts to inspire the next generation of computer scientists through her outstanding instruction and contributions to student success.