Mike Daniel
Department/Discipline: Electronic Systems, Mathematics
Phone Number:
(360) 417-6539
Credentials
M.S.A., The George Washington University;
M.S., Auburn University;
B.E.E., Auburn University
BIOGRAPHY
Mike Daniel was born in Tomaston, Georgia. As part of a career military family, he grew up on or around military bases in Georgia, Ohio, Louisiana, Hawaii, California, Florida and Oklahoma.
Mike completed a career in the United States Navy as an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer. His experience during this career included technical positions involving operation and repair of U.S. Navy airborne systems as a technician, as an engineer, and as an aircrew member. He held aircraft maintenance management positions in both aircraft squadrons and aircraft carriers. He served as project and repair manager at various aircraft repair/overhaul depots, as resident U.S. Navy technical representative at Singapore Aerospace Industries, as an aircraft engineering/asset manager for U.S. Navy Pacific based aircraft, and as Deputy Director (western region) for the Navy’s cruise missile project. His final assignment was as administrator for the Aeronautical Engineering Programs at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. While at the school, he was presented an award from the President of the United States for his curriculum development and other efforts in the Aeronautical Engineering Programs.
He began teaching part-time evening and weekend college level
math-science classes in addition to his Navy duties in the 1970’s. Mike is member of many academic honorary societies including the Scientific Research Society (Sigma Xi). Additionally, he holds a FAA commercial pilot’s license, a FAA ground instructor license, and a FCC advanced amateur radio license.
Mike joined the Peninsula College Mathematics Faculty in the 1994-95 academic year. He operated the Forks Extension Math Lab until relocating to the main campus in Port Angeles during the 1996-97 academic year.
Teaching Philosophy
I would classify my approach to teaching as situational. I teach across department lines from formal mathematics courses to hands-on vocational-technical courses. Each class is different and I believe an instructor must adjust his techniques to enhance the learning environment present in different classes. I lecture, demonstrate problem-solving methods, assign application homework and projects, and utilize classroom discussion in order to achieve the course objectives. I strongly believe the student is responsible for his/her own learning and encourage this concept in and out of classes.
Interests
Academic Interests:
My interests are in applied mathematics, mathematics, management theory, technical engineering and electronic theory courses. I especially enjoy employing technology in the classroom that enables a student to solve advanced applied problems without necessarily having taken advanced theory courses.
I enjoy teaching the hiking courses in the spring quarter and the weeklong trekking course in the backcountry at the end of summer quarter.
Outside Interests:
- Hiking/ Trekking/ Mountaineering/ Adventure travel—I do it all. My experiences include three mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas, climbing Mexico’s Popocateptl and Orizaba, biking from Vienna to Istanbul, and trekking and climbing in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.
- I like sailing (except when seasick)—helped crew a sailboat through the Panama Canal and in the Caribbean Sea.
- I like to go fishing—fortunate to have had the opportunity on several occasions to travel to Alaska on a ‘sport fisher’ via the Inland Passage on extended fishing trips.
- I love bird hunting—I have two great bird dogs (Weimaraners).
- I love country life—albeit the work is sometimes overwhelming with the landscape maintenance and livestock care.
Policies
I expect regular attendance. If a student must be absent, I wish to know ahead of time in order to furnish the student make-up work and provide assignments. My classes move at a fast pace and excessive absences and tardiness may be disruptive to a student’s satisfactory progress.
I grade on a sliding percentage scale based upon student performance on exams, quizzes, homework and classroom contributions. Lately, I have placed emphasis on a students performing self-assessment of their problem solving skills.
Other
Courses Taught:
- AMATH 070
- AMATH 101
- AMATH 104
- CESS 100
- MATH 114
- MATH 116
- SURV 105
- SURV 130
- SURV 161
- SURV 162
- PE 117
- PE 118
- PE 138
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