Professor Debankur Mukherjee has received the ISyE Outstanding Mid-Career/Senior Teaching Award in recognition of his sustained contributions to teaching and student learning across both undergraduate and graduate education in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech.

Mukherjee teaches a broad range of courses in applied probability and stochastic processes, including foundational undergraduate courses as well as advanced graduate topics. His teaching is widely recognized for combining mathematical rigor with accessibility, helping students engage deeply with technically challenging material while building confidence and long-term interest in the subject.

A central aspect of Mukherjee’s teaching is careful course design and the development of structured learning materials. For ISYE 2027 (Probability with Applications), one of the foundational courses taken by ISyE students, he developed an extensive set of lecture notes over the course of more than a year. The notes, which are freely available to students, effectively function as a full textbook and are now used by multiple instructors within the school.

“While there are many resources available for introductory probability, I felt that most of them did not strike the right balance between mathematical rigor, detailed explanations, and real-world examples that our students can genuinely relate to,” said Mukherjee. “My goal was to create a self-contained resource that students could continue to use well beyond a single semester.”

Students frequently highlight the clarity and organization of both the lectures and course materials. In course feedback and Thank-a-Teacher notes, students described the lecture notes as “the most informative” part of the course and praised the lectures for making difficult concepts approachable. One student wrote that the course “completely changed” their attitude toward the subject, while another described the lectures as “like a mathematical story.”

Mukherjee’s teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered learning, interactive classroom engagement, and strong individual support. He actively incorporates discussion into lectures, adapts pacing based on student feedback, and designs assignments that encourage independent thinking rather than purely mechanical problem solving.

“The most exciting part of teaching for me is interacting with students,” Mukherjee said. “Those interactions constantly give me new perspectives and help me evolve my teaching. I enjoy connecting fundamental ideas in probability with modern topics students care about today, while also showing them the timeless principles that continue to drive the field.”

In graduate instruction, Mukherjee has also worked to connect theoretical concepts with modern applications. In ISYE 6762 (Stochastic Processes II), he introduced data-driven projects designed to bridge abstract mathematical ideas with contemporary applications, helping students develop both intuition and technical depth.

Student evaluations across multiple semesters consistently highlight clarity of instruction, enthusiasm, accessibility outside class, and strong learning outcomes. Students frequently praise his ability to translate “complex formulas into understandable real-world examples,” as well as the welcoming classroom environment that encourages questions and discussion.

Mukherjee has also received several Thank-a-Teacher recognitions from students over the years, reflecting the lasting impact of his teaching both inside and outside the classroom.