Recognizing outstanding contributions to online learning for professional engineers
UW-Madison Engineering’s Online Graduate Programs is pleased to recognize Raj Kamal as the recipient of our inaugural Excellence in Online Teaching Award. This award honors instructors who demonstrate exceptional impact in online education across course design, teaching effectiveness, and learner engagement.
About the recipient:
Raj Kamal is an instructor in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison, and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting. He teaches EPD 610 Engineering Analysis for Decision Making and EPD 611 Engineering Economics and Management in the fully online Master of Engineering Management program.
Raj brings more than 25 years of industry and consulting experience to the classroom. His work reflects a strong commitment to advancing online learning experiences for working professionals.
Why Raj was selected:
Raj is recognized for excellence across multiple domains of online teaching, including:
Online by Design
Raj takes an intentional, learner-centered approach to course design that reflects the needs of working professionals. Using backward design and adult learning principles, he aligns learning outcomes, assessments, and instructional activities with a clear, scaffolded course structure while following the absorb-do-connect framework. Learning data shows the positive impact on student learning outcomes.
Curricular Rigor
Raj uses industry reports, research articles, and case studies to foster critical thinking and analysis skills. Students consider multiple, and often competing, priorities and perspectives while applying financial, technical, organizational, and strategic lenses to decision-making. Assessment data and learner feedback demonstrate growth in higher-level competency, critical thinking, and achievement of the learning outcomes.
Industry Relevance
Raj connects theory into practice through authentic, career-aligned assessments. For example, students use a 7-step decision methodology to address a real decision they are facing: defining the problem and objectives, developing decision criteria, and presenting a solution. This approach allows students to apply what they learn directly to their work and create value for both them and their organizations.
“My teaching approach connects core concepts to real-world examples and students’ own professional experience, pairing rigorous analysis with hands-on, applied work. This enables students to use their learning immediately and confidently in their own jobs.”
– Raj Kamal, Instructor – Online Graduate Engineering Programs
“Raj exemplifies what great online teaching looks like in practice. His work has had a meaningful impact on both students and the broader program.”
– Heather Smith / Director of Online Graduate Engineering Programs
As part of the award, Raj will be recognized at the Campus Connect event for Online Graduate Engineering Programs and will continue contributing to the teaching community through knowledge sharing and mentorship.