Mike Vicic Receives Malcom Prize for Excellence in Mentoring

The Shirley M. Malcom Prize for Excellence in Mentoring, founded in 2021, has been awarded this year to Michael A. Vicic, teaching professor in chemical engineering.

The annual prize is named for Shirley Malcom, a senior trustee at Caltech, and honors a professor "who, through mentoring, supports the achievement and well-being of students. Criteria include, but are not limited to, effective mentoring practices such as: giving regular feedback, guidance, and advice; providing access to academic and professional information, resources, and opportunities; and helping to ensure a safe, encouraging, and inclusive environment."

Students who nominated Vicic praised him for helping them build confidence in themselves. Outside of the classroom, Vicic was noted for assisting students with everything from course selection and study skills to interviewing for jobs and utilizing Caltech's alumni network to help them select graduate schools or careers. He also supports his colleagues. A staff member noted, "My own abilities as a mentor … and as a Caltech employee have grown tremendously in the past few months of his mentorship."

As one of the individuals who nominated Vicic for this prize explained, "Mike truly cares about the students. … He meets with them regularly and offers his time to discuss issues outside the classroom environment. He is compassionate and connects with the students. Moreover, Mike always follows up to make sure of the student's well-being."

Vicic has given students creative assignments that push their problem-solving and tool-building skills, such as a project aimed at turning seawater into hydrogen fuel, or one to create sensors to identify black carbon in the environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vicic found novel ways to put students to work creating microscopes and centrifuges using a simple kit of parts and items they found around their own homes.

"It's such an honor to have my name associated with Shirley Malcom, who is such an inspiration because of how she sees the world!" Vicic said. "Funny story, though. I almost missed the award announcement, because I was helping a student with a last-minute request for help. But I live for those little moments, where you can make a student your sole focus and nudge them to consider the opportunities instead of feeling overwhelmed by perceived barriers."

Past recipients of the Malcom Prize are Scott Cushing, assistant professor of chemistry; Marianne Bronner, the Edward B. Lewis Professor of Biology and director of the Beckman Institute; and Bil Clemons, the Arthur and Marian Hanisch Memorial Professor of Biochemistry.