George Verghese MS ’75 Establishes Teaching Award

George Verghese MS '75 has spent more than four decades shaping the fields of power systems, power electronics and biomedical engineering as a professor at MIT. But long before he became a leader in system theory, his path was shaped by a formative period at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, most notably by Professor Chi-Tsong Chen, PhD, whose clarity of teaching and pioneering textbook ignited Verghese's passion for the field.

"I still recall the excitement of taking a course taught so elegantly by the author of the textbook," Verghese said. That early spark is the foundation of the legacy he and his wife Ann are now creating at Stony Brook through an endowed education award.

For Verghese, establishing an award at Stony Brook was a long-held intention finally brought into focus. After returning to campus in Fall 2025 and seeing the university's growth firsthand, he felt the moment was right. "Seeing the campus so alive and so beautifully built out, and feeling such warm hospitality, made a real impression," he said.

Verghese created the Professor Chi-Tsong Chen Excellence in Education Award, honoring the professor whose clarity and rigor first opened the world of system theory to him. The award will recognize up to two CEAS faculty members each year who excel in the classroom and whose work shows potential for educational impact beyond Stony Brook - particularly through pedagogical innovation and creative curriculum design.

Read the full story at SB Matters.