Andrew Ruina - Cornell University

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Andrew Ruina - Cornell University

Professor: Andrew Ruina

Department: Engineering

College: Cornell University

Rating # 1

Overview:

Course: MAE4730
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof. Ruina is truly amazing. Lectures are clear and well-structured and he makes the course content really engaging. The workload is quite heavy but it also helped me so much in understanding the material. He really makes an effort in making sure that students learn in his class and that's why he's my favorite professor at Cornell.

Rating # 2

Overview:

Course: MAE4710
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Ruina is hands-down the best professor I've had at Cornell. He's so incredibly accommodating (this is review is being written during the coronavirus pandemic, btw) and he really cares that his students LEARN. His lectures are very interesting and you can tell he genuinely enjoys the material he teaches. Cannot recommend him enough.

Rating # 3

Overview:

Course: MAE2030
Grade Received: B+
Overall Rating: 4.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Decent professor. Difficult class overall. He is very knowledgeable about Dynamics, though sometimes goes into extreme detail. You will need to work extremely hard for a good grade.

Rating # 4

Overview:

Course: ENGRG1112
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Every MATLAB script I have written has benefited tremendously from lessons and examples provided in class and in our textbook. On top of his superb hands-on style, Professor Ruina is one of the most understanding, accommodative teachers Ive ever had, and he gave me invaluable help in a time of need. I cant recommend him highly enough.

Rating # 5

Overview:

Course: MAE2030
Grade Received: A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I have never been more offended by a professor than with my interactions with Professor Ruina. My recommendation to him is to treat his students with more respect; people are more than their work. You can ask hard questions and challenge students without being rude.

Rating # 6

Overview:

Course: MAE5730
Grade Received: B+
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Ruina is a great professor! I have had 2 course with him and in both his lectures were clear, digestible and forced you to think. He holds LOTS of office hours. You do have to work in his courses but that's engineering - doing lots of problems. If you are a delicate flower then you will be offended by him. But he cares about students.

Rating # 7

Overview:

Course: MAE6700
Grade Received: A
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I like Professor Ruina so much! I took three courses( Intermediate dynamics and vibraion, Dynamics of Flight and Advanced Dynamics)from him and did two projects with him. It is a pleasure and even honor to work with him. He is the reason why I am pursing my Ph.D. research in dynamic walking and robotics. To me, he is a mentor, more than just a prof

Rating # 8

Overview:

Course: MAE2030
Grade Received: A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Ruina knows the subject matter in and out, really encourages asking questions, engages active strategies to encourage understanding and class participation, and is always trying to improve. However you will work for your grade, and his attitude tends towards tough-love. If you are okay with that, you will enjoy his classes.

Rating # 9

Overview:

Course: MAE2030
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Worst Professor ever! He may be smart but his personality and teaching style makes many many students dislike him. I don't know why there are positive reviews unless they share his affinity for disrespecting other people.

Rating # 10

Overview:

Course: MAE5730
Grade Received: A+
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I really like Professor Andy Ruina. Compared to other professors, Andy did a very good job in teaching. His way of grading students is really good. Everyone could get a better grade in his class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

Course: MAE2030
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Excellent lecturer. Lectures are very well organized, clear and concise. He even has a systematic way of erasing the blackboard during lectures. He's smart and knows the material he's teaching very well. However, his textbook is really bad. I liked him and his teaching style but frankly, I didn't really learn much from his textbook.

Rating # 12

Overview:

Course: TAM2020
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ruina is the reason why I chose mechanical engineering. His teaching style is clear and concise, makes the material very approachable and interesting. I've heard in the past he wasn't so great, but it's clear he has perfected his teaching style since then. He is my favorite professor from my college experience.

Rating # 13

Overview:

Course: TAM2020
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.0
Course Difficulty: 1.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Entertaining and Helpful

Rating # 14

Overview:

Course: TAM2020
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very fatherly. Ruina embodies the spirit of tough love.

Rating # 15

Overview:

Course: TAM2030
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Although the material is difficult, I feel as though Ruina's lectures are well-organized. He drops your lowest exam and homework grades, and I feel as though he's not trying to fail us. The emphasis on MATLAB is very strong (which I personally don't like), but it seems as though this might be useful in the future.

Rating # 16

Overview:

Course: ENGRD2020
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ruina is probably one of the smartest guys I ever met and he definitely tries to help students (ie exam problem redos, dropping lowest grades, etc.). However, despite his good intentions a few things backfire (ie exam redos result in simply a higher mean with smaller deviations). I hated how he used a textbook he wrote that just echoed his lecture.

Rating # 17

Overview:

Course: ENGRD2020
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Textbook is not useful at all. Lectures are fast and confusing, it almost seems as if he tries to confuse you on purpose. It was hard for me to understand, esp since the textbook was so poor. He def tries to be helpful though, and drops the lowest homeworks and prelim probs.

Rating # 18

Overview:

Course: TAM2030
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

People respond to Prof. Ruina in one of two ways, they either love him or hate him, which is evidenced given his middle score rating. My experience is that he lectures to the top portion of the class. That being said, the course is hard. If you have to have him as a teacher, then be prepared to do alot of work with the TAs and ask alot of questions

Rating # 19

Overview:

Course: TAM570
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is perhaps the smartest guy I met. He is a very good lecturer, especially if you are interested in understanding a subject deeply. Pay attention to everything he says in class, and try to figure it out if you do not quite understand it -- you will be rewarded.

Rating # 20

Overview:

Course: TAM2030
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.5
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I thought he was a decent teacher, though it's ridiculous that we had to buy his crazy expensive book...of which we only used half (the first half was statics). He seems to know his stuff...but I have trouble getting past how much he likes himself. He thinks he's really funny, and so even when his jokes are okay I don't want to laugh.

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