Dr. Thehazhnan “Thihal” Ponnaiyan was selected to receive UToledo’s 2025-26 Mid-American Conference Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success, the Office of the Provost recently announced.
Now in its seventh year, the Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success recognizes one full-time faculty member from each Mid-American Conference institution who supports and develops students inside and outside of the classroom.
Dr. Thehazhnan “Thihal” Ponnaiyan, a senior lecturer and undergraduate director in the Department of Chemical Engineering, receives UToledo’s 2025-26 Mid-American Conference Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success from Dr. Jeanne Kusina, a Distinguished University Lecturer and director of The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
A senior lecturer and undergraduate director in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Ponnaiyan is known for his innovative teaching and deep commitment to his students. He has integrated project-based learning, flipped classroom strategies and computational thinking to help students master complex engineering concepts while developing the practical problem-solving skills needed in their future careers.
Ponnaiyan was recently recognized with the award during a UToledo women’s basketball game, where he was honored for his contributions to student success and excellence in teaching.
“I am truly humbled by this recognition,” Ponnaiyan said. “Every day I come to work with a smile and leave at the end of the day with the same smile. The reason? Our incredibly talented, meticulously hardworking and highly engaged students and alumni. It is an absolute honor to serve them.
“Each student brings forth vibrant skillsets and unique experiences to the table, and I strive to know each of them by name to help foster a sense of belonging.”
In addition to his work in the classroom, Ponnaiyan is widely recognized as a dedicated mentor at UToledo who continues to support students long after they graduate. His influence extends well beyond coursework, helping students build confidence, professional skills and lasting connections in the engineering field.
“Dr. Ponnaiyan exemplifies the unwavering commitment to student success that defines our faculty at The University of Toledo,” said Dr. Mitchell S. McKinney, provost and executive vice president of academic affairs. “His innovative approach to engineering education and his genuine dedication to mentorship ensure our students are not only prepared for their future careers, but empowered to lead in them.”
Ponnaiyan earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Anna University, India, in 2003; a master’s degree in business administration from Cardiff University, Wales, in 2004; a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Imperial College, England, in 2006; and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from UToledo in 2016.
He joined UToledo as a lecturer in 2015 and has engaged in multiple pedagogical research projects. From 2017 to 2021, he served as the INITIATE curriculum director, understanding how integrated computational thinking, engineering design and mathematics can help students solve scientific and technical problems in career technical education.
In 2022, Ponnaiyan received The University of Toledo College of Engineering’s Outstanding Teaching Award. He has served as the undergraduate director in the Department of Chemical Engineering since 2025.
