Azeem Hafeez says he took an interest in electrical engineering as early as age 5. “How this energy, which is coming from a socket, which is electrical energy converted into heat energy in heaters, and how the electrical energy makes the washing machine spin — those were my initial questions to my grandparents,” Hafeez says. Today, the Ph.D. student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science draws students with the same curiosities to the courses he now teaches at UM-Dearborn. In addition to maintaining a 4.0 GPA in his own courses, Hafeez has joined the ranks of UM-Dearborn’s most coveted professors according to Rate My Professor. And whenever possible, he encourages students to participate in his research applications, allowing them to rise to success with his guidance. 

Azeem, in his own words

On his rating as a professor. “Both of [my grandparents] taught for more than 50 years. I got that experience of teaching from them. So, when I came to University of Michigan-Dearborn, I got a chance to teach a course and got really good evaluations. One day, one of my friends called me and said, ‘There is a website, Rate My Professors, and you are rated amongst one of the best professors at UM-Dearborn.’ I would say that the credit goes to my grandparents first of all, and then the credit goes to the university administration as well — especially ECE Chair Paul Richardson, who is my mentor. They believed in me even before completing my Ph.D. 

On how he’s making a difference in the classroom. “I think that every person needs attention. In my class, I try to memorize the names of all the students within the first few weeks and then I start interacting with all of them. I see what are the weaknesses of the student, and I tell students that they can ask me any question in the class — even if they feel shy, they can ask me after the class. So, I’m available for the students and I never mind any question from the students no matter how basic it is. This is how even the students who are at the bottom of the class in terms of grades start performing really well.”

On his proudest accomplishments. “I’m proud of being a student of UM-Dearborn. I’m also proud of being the second-best instructor of UM-Dearborn on Rate My Professors. And then, finally, I’m proud of my research applications. I did more than 10 research applications in my Ph.D. I accommodated some of my students in my research, and now I have three publications with my students. I’m really happy with the way they performed. This is my message to all of my students: ‘Work hard and give your best. You will have a very bright future. Further, if you add devotion and honesty to hard work, people will recognize you as a Difference Maker.’ ”