(unsolicited thank you notes)
August 7, 2024
Thanks for the summer semester Dr. Ray! I enjoyed your class very much. I really appreciate the energy you bring to your lectures. I really feel like I learned something in this online class, which is something I cannot say for many of the online classes I’ve taken.
C.Z. CHEM-241 Chemistry of Materials, Summer 2024
May 9, 2024
Dr. Ray,
I just wanted to send a quick thank you message. With the way my credits transferred into Stout, I wasn’t able to take your class until my last semester there, but I sure wish I would have been able to sooner. I don’t know if it was just the experience I already had from it being my last semester, but I feel like I learned a lot in your class this semester with the way you taught it. I felt like it was just the right mix of homework, labs, quizzes, and exams, and you always kept the class entertaining by telling stories of your experiences. So, thank you for passing on your knowledge (and for letting us use your hair driers for Capstone).
Thank you again, and keep doing what you are doing to teach this class! I really enjoyed it!
D.M. CHEM-245 Chemistry of Polymers, Spring 2024
May 7, 2024
August 11, 2022
Hey Dr. Ray,
I just want to say thank you for being such an amazing professor. I am not exaggerating when I say you are the best professor and teacher I’ve ever had. Never have I had a professor who has spent so much time trying to make sure that students understand concepts. In some of my other classes, the professors would just read sentences off a PowerPoint and/or make the class harder than it should be. Some of the models/demonstrations that you did in the lectures on YouTube were super helpful for understanding the concepts and I appreciate how you made every topic fun/interesting to learn. I remember specifically watching the lectures where you had to blue liquid in a dish to symbolize electron clouds and the steel shot pellets to show grain boundaries. I found some of these topics really confusing in CHEM-135/136 because I was just explained, for example, how dipoles work rather than seeing a visual model of electron clouds. These visuals really helped me to understand exactly what was going on.
Also, I’m glad I took this class because I am taking the MCAT in three months and I was surprised to see that a lot of the topics on the MCAT are things we learned in Chemistry of Materials. In some of the practice exams I’ve taken, I’ve gotten questions that ask about things like gravity (voltaic) cells, conductors/insulators, and the allotropes of carbon. While I’ve learned about some of this stuff before, I didn’t fully understand it until you explained it because you are very good at explaining things. I wish I could’ve taken this class in person! My 5 roommates are all engineers, so they’ve taken in person classes with you, and they all say that you are one of the best professors. I’ve wanted to send you a thank you email for a while but I figured I should wait until the class is over, so I don’t seem like a suck up😅. Anyways, have a good rest of your summer, hopefully I’ll see you on campus next semester!
Thanks,
T.T. CHEM-241 Chemistry of Materials, Summer 2022
April 28, 2020
One person who impressed me was my Chemistry of Polymers professor this semester. Dr. Ray was able to teach the students what they needed to succeed while making it one of the most fun and interesting classes I have ever taken. He has also been able to do a complete transition online that is super effective and I was very impressed at how fast he was able to do it.
Anonymous, CHEM-245 Chemistry of Polymers, Spring 2020
October 5, 2018
Dr. Ray,
I am the Engineering Manager at ITW Deltar Fasteners. I was recently at UW Stout to conduct interviews for our summer intern position. One of my interview questions was “Tell us about the best professor or supervisor you have had and what made them the best?”. Your name was mentioned numerous times by the students we were interviewing. I was intrigued by the common responses. Students are impacted by numerous teachers and coaches through their life so I was surprised to hear such common responses.
One of our main goals at ITW is employee recognition. It is a great program where we personally recognize employees for their contributions to our organization. Other employees have a chance to see “What good looks like”. I wanted to take a moment to recognize the positive impact you have had on these students. They described a professor that cared about his students on a personal level, challenged them and made learning fun.
Congratulations on making a positive impact on our future engineers and leaders in our businesses and communities.
Regards,
D.E.
December 19, 2013
Acceptance to Southern Miss Polymer Science
Hi Dr. Ray,
I just wanted to let you know that I have been accepted into the polymer PhD program at USM for the Spring 2014 semester. Thank you for all of your help over the past few years; I sincerely feel that I would not have been able to realize my goals without your extensive guidance.
M.W.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (requested)
November 10, 2023
I am writing to offer my wholehearted endorsement of Professor Matthew Ray for the Teaching Excellence Award. As a nontraditional student who has faced significant personal challenges, including a battle with alcoholism and a period of homelessness, my journey to regain my health and education has been a long and arduous one. A bright spot in this journey found me sitting front row in Professor Ray’s Chemistry for Materials class, also known as CHEM 241, where my experience was nothing short of transformative.
Professor Ray possesses a remarkable ability to take complex subjects and make them not only comprehensible but also deeply meaningful. His teaching transcends the boundaries of a typical classroom, engaging students like me in exploring the profound interconnections between crystalline structures of elements, the intentional manipulation of these elements to derive specific properties, and the responsible utilization of resources in our world. He goes beyond the curriculum to foster a broader perspective on the subject, encouraging students to think, dream, inquire, and grow.
What sets Professor Ray apart is his unwavering commitment to his students’ understanding and growth. He not only imparts knowledge but also ignites curiosity, inviting students to ask questions and encouraging tenacity in their pursuit of understanding. His dedication to nurturing a love for learning is truly commendable.
During my time in Professor Ray’s class, I had the privilege of engaging in meaningful conversations with him, where he welcomed my inquiries and encouraged my intellectual mettle. This level of interaction and mentorship is a testament to his dedication to his students’ success.
Furthermore, I had the opportunity to apply the concepts I learned in Professor Ray’s class during an internship. His teachings equipped me with the ability to think like a materials chemist, which was invaluable in making informed decisions about materials for the project I was managing. This practical application of knowledge speaks to the real-world impact of his teaching.
In conclusion, Professor Matthew Ray’s teaching is not just impactful; it is transformative. His ability to make complex subjects accessible and meaningful, his unwavering dedication to his students’ growth, and his encouragement of intellectual curiosity all demonstrate his exceptional teaching abilities. I wholeheartedly recommend Professor Ray for the Teaching Excellence Award, as his teaching is a shining example of the quality and dedication that distinguishes the educators at UW-Stout.
Sincerely,
Z.M.
November 28, 2023
I am writing to express my gratitude for the impact Dr. Matthew Ray has had on my academic and professional journey. His multifaceted role as my professor, advisor, and mentor during my time at UW-Stout, have been instrumental in shaping the Chemist I am today. I graduated from UW-Stout in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in applied science, concentration in materials science. I am currently employed by Sherwin Williams in Minneapolis, MN as a Senior Formulation Chemist in the General Industrial Powder Coatings segment. I have been working here since 2013 and just hit my 10-year career mark. As I navigate my career, I reflect on the path that Dr. Ray helped me chart during my academic career at UW-Stout. His influence was crucial to my success, from plotting out a path to graduation to managing the summer research project that allowed me to expand my knowledge and network within the scientific community.
As my professor, Dr. Ray taught a handful of my Chemistry-based courses such as, Chemistry of Materials, Chemistry of Polymers, and Physical Chemistry. The techniques and practices he instilled in the laboratory, including detailed notetaking, organization, lab safety, and thorough report writing, have been foundational to my success at Sherwin Williams. These skills, honed under his guidance, have become integral to my daily responsibilities and contributions to the company. Dr. Ray always had an “open-door” policy, and the one-on-one discussions we had, to deepen my understanding of course materials, have shaped my approach in the workplace. I strive to emulate his availability and commitment to helping colleagues with challenging problems, which can create a collaborative environment that promotes success for all.
As my advisor, Dr. Ray was particularly influential during my tenure as President of the Materials Research Society – UW-Stout Chapter. His insights and ideas not only ensured the success of our group but also laid the groundwork for its continued prosperity after my graduation. The research project we conducted, which later took the group to present in San Francisco at a Materials Research Society conference, remains one of the highlights of my academic career. Dr. Ray’s advisement on joining, and becoming a president of the MRS Stout Chapter, has directly translated into my desire to move into a leadership role within Sherwin Williams.
As my mentor, Dr. Ray helped with a research project which I worked on during my final school year and summer leading up to graduation. The project titled, Protein Assisted Particle Self-Assembly for Multiplex Analyte Detection, was complex and required a deeper understanding of chemistry principles. Under his mentorship, we were successfully able to functionalize silicon substrates with organosilanes, bond protein particles to the substrate, and add fluorescent tags to verify the protein activity. This project allowed me the opportunity to gain experience presenting research at a University of Minnesota materials chemistry conference which is another academic highlight of mine. The techniques learned in this process such as lab safety, contact angles, dispersion of polymers, analytical data collection, and detailed report presentation are a direct correlation of Dr. Ray’s mentorship. The experience gained through these endeavors, coupled with the skills developed in the research project, has seamlessly translated into my current role at Sherwin Williams. The research preparation and presentation skills acquired have become invaluable assets, contributing significantly to the success of various projects within my role at Sherwin Williams.
Dr. Ray has been more than a professor, advisor, and mentor to me; he has been a catalyst for my personal, academic, and professional growth. Thank you to him for his unwavering dedication to his students and for being a mentor whose influence extends far beyond the classroom. His impact has been profound, and I am truly grateful for the positive influence he has had on my life.
Regards,
T.Y.