Melissa Morris, Ph.D.
Associate Professor In Residence and Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Mechanical Engineering

Melissa Morris, Ph.D., is an associate-professor in residence in mechanical engineering. Prior to coming to UNLV in 2019, she was a Teaching Associate Professor at West Virginia University. She has taught freshman to senior level courses, developed five courses, led assessment efforts and has been the Principal/Co-Principal Investigator on over $8 Million of funded STEM education grants. She received college and university level awards for teaching from both UNLV and WVU. Additionally, Morris received the 2018 ASEE North Central Section Award for Outstanding Teaching and the 2023 ASEE Pacific Southwest Section Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Melissa's teaching methodology is built on the foundations of lifelong learning, enthusiasm, inclusion, and real-world connections. Lifelong learning is extremely important in engineering, where technology is ever evolving and innovations have the ability to shape society. Enthusiasm is undeniably contagious, Melissa keeps her students engaged and interested by sharing her enthusiasm for the topics she teaches. Making connections between course material and the real-world experiences of the students helps them not only learn topics, but also understand the value of learning them. Lastly, Melissa strives to create an inclusive classroom by incorporating culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy into her courses.

Morris has graciously agreed to share her application packet to anyone who wishes to apply for the Spanos Teaching Award. Please email tl.commons@unlv.edu to obtain a copy.