Students say Eric Mann could be a stand-up comedian, but the biology lecturer's sense of humor is just one of the attributes that makes him an excellent teacher.
Mann has been chosen as the seventh Golden Apple Award recipient from hundreds of nominations given to the Students Honoring Outstanding University Teaching committee - the group that chooses the winning teacher.
"It's an incredible honor to have been nominated by students," Mann said yesterday. "It's really neat to be awarded for doing something that's so much fun."
SHOUT co-chair and LSA senior Ilona Cohen said students nominated Mann because he spends a considerable amount of time listening to students.
"A lot of students praised his commitment to students and to teaching at a time when research takes a priority over teaching," Cohen said, adding that nominations also cited his sense of humor.
Each year SHOUT, a student committee associated with Hillel, distributes ballots to students and encourages them to nominate a lecturer or professor who has exhibited excellence in teaching.
As part of the award, Mann is expected to give what Cohen called "an ideal last lecture."
"The universal experience of college students suggests that the best lecture in almost any course is the last one because by that time, the professor realizes that it is impossible to cover all the material and decides to explain what it all really means," Cohen said.
Cohen said Mann was surprised and excited when the committee presented him with the award after his lecture yesterday.
"We kept assuring him that it was his own students who took the time to recognize his excellent teaching," Cohen said.
LSA senior Mark Pohlman, who h as been a student in two of Mann's classes, said the lecturer is one of the funniest teachers he has ever had.
"The funny thing about him is that he comes up with these far-out analogies, which is really unusual in a science class," Pohlman said. "It makes a boring subject really interesting."
LSA senior Michael Yusaf said Mann is unique because he takes the time to attend all the lab sections in his courses and hands out notes for all of the lectures at the beginning of the semester.
"The way he presents the information is just so clear ... you get the idea right away," Yusaf said.
"He really takes time out for students," Yusaf said. "Unlike other professors, he really likes to help students - that's his main goal."
Mann taught at the University of California at Davis before coming to the University, where he now teaches classes in immunology and cellular and molecular biology.
Mann is scheduled to give his "last" lecture April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Rackham Auditorium.
Last year's recipient was Nursing Prof. Carol Boyd. Other recipients include History Prof. Sidney Fine, English Prof. Ralph Williams and former History lecturer Thomas Collier.