Jose Alfredo Ocegueda Barraza, IE Graduate Instructor, Earns Top Teaching Honors
From Lecture Halls to Awards Halls: Graduate Instructor Earns Top Purdue Teaching Honors
When a graduate student steps into the role of instructor, they often bring with them a deep knowledge of their subject and a learner’s fresh perspective. But for one standout Ph.D. student in Purdue’s Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering (IE), that perspective, and a passion for student success, has translated into multiple teaching awards, including the prestigious Outstanding Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award from Purdue’s Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars (OGSPS), considered the highest honor given to Purdue teaching assistants.
It’s a recognition that didn’t happen overnight, and certainly didn’t happen by accident.
A Path Paved by Preparation
Alfredo’s first hands-on experience as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) came in 2023, when he worked closely with Dr. Patrick A. Brunese in IE431, Industrial Engineering Design, to mentor 18 teams of seniors on their capstone projects. Dr. Brunese, who serves as the Assistant Head of the department, is notably the only other IE graduate student to have received the OGSPS Excellence in Teaching Award in the award’s history. His mentorship not only shaped Alfredo’s early understanding of effective instruction and student engagement but also ignited a passion for teaching and mentoring that ultimately led to Alfredo being selected as one of the College of Engineering Dean's Teaching Fellows.
As part of the fellowship and with strong support from his advisor and faculty mentor, Hall Family Rising Star Associate Professor Ramses V. Martinez, Alfredo first served as a GTA in Spring 2024 before transitioning into the lead instructor role in Fall 2024 for IE370, an introductory manufacturing course. The experience proved formative, not just for his students, but for his own development as a teacher.
Alfredo poses with his award, along with Assistant Dept. Head Dr. Pat Brunese (Left), James J. Solberg Head and Ransburg Professor of Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering Dr. Young-Jun Son (Far right), and Hall Family Rising Star Associate Professor Ramses Martinez.
“I think a lot of the success in that class was because we put so much effort in upfront,” he said. “We redesigned slides, built in videos and demonstrations, and structured everything before the semester even began.”
That thoughtful planning paid off. The course, which enrolled nearly 240 students, received a staggering 90% response rate on course evaluations, virtually unheard of in large undergraduate engineering classes. The comments were overwhelmingly positive, and those student testimonials later became a key part of the application packet for Purdue’s OGSPS award.
Alfredo made history as the first (and so far, only) College of Engineering Dean's Teaching Fellow to be honored with the OGSPS Excellence in Teaching Award.
Teaching Philosophy: Practical, Personalized, Prepared
At the heart of his teaching is a simple but powerful philosophy: make it meaningful.
“I really want the students to walk away with knowledge they can apply,” he said. “Not just definitions or formulas, but something they can use in a job interview, or in a job.” To support that goal, he used real-world manufacturing labs, digital flashcards, videos, animations, and written materials, all designed to meet a variety of learning styles. “There are always going to be students who are more visual, or who learn best by doing,” he explained. “So, I try to present concepts in multiple ways, so everyone can find something that clicks.”
From Classroom to Recognition
The journey to the OGSPS award began with a nomination from the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) Teaching Award. While he was ultimately not selected as Purdue’s university-level nominee, the College of Engineering saw enough merit in his materials to put him forward for the internal OGSPS award as the College’s candidate. The process required assembling a robust teaching portfolio: a written philosophy, examples of course materials, a teaching demonstration video, and more, most of which he was able to adapt from the MAGS submission. “It’s a tricky process with a lot of moving parts,” he said. “But the support from the department and faculty really helped me pull everything together.” In addition to the OGSPS award, he also received the Estus H. and Vashti L. Magoon Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is based on student feedback. That recognition came without a formal application, just the weight of glowing evaluations and strong mentorship.
A Student and a Teacher, All at Once
As a graduate student himself, he brings a unique empathy to the classroom. “I think it helps me design the course with the student in mind,” he said. “I know what it’s like to sit through lectures that are hard to follow, or don’t have a clear schedule.” That insight has shaped the way he builds his courses. From crystal-clear syllabi to dedicated review sessions before exams, his structure is informed by two decades of student experience.
“I basically stole the best ideas from the best professors I’ve had,” he joked. “And made sure to avoid the things that frustrated me.”
A Future with Teaching at Heart
Though he originally envisioned a future in industry, his teaching experiences have sparked new possibilities. “I’m 50/50 right now,” he admitted. “Industry still appeals to me, but I’d love to keep teaching, maybe one class a semester, or eventually return as a clinical professor.” Currently interning at Intel, he’s already seeing the connections between teaching and professional practice. “This week has been all onboarding sessions,” he laughed. “And I’m seeing engineers with 20 years of experience teaching the new hires. So that teaching skill? It matters everywhere.”
The Takeaway
What began as a fellowship turned into a teaching opportunity, which turned into an award-winning experience. But for this Ph.D. student, the accolades are simply a reflection of something deeper. “I really enjoy helping students learn,” he said. “Seeing them get it (that lightbulb moment) that’s the best part.” With more than 180 students affirming that sentiment in their evaluations, it’s clear those moments are happening often. Whether in academia or industry, this award-winning instructor is poised to keep creating them.