The committee tries to give ideas on how to improve. In a department with a national reputation for research, colleagues praise Weiss for striking a balance between teaching and research. However, Weiss doesn't discount the value of research, particularly in a rapidly changing field such as computer science. Rather, he sees teaching and research as essential components of classroom instruction. Someone who is a good researcher should not necessarily shirk teaching.
Many people are superb in both.
But teaching is our business. We do research, but we are first and foremost an educational institution. Teaching and research actually complement each other, he said, especially in a field like computer science that moves ahead so quickly. It's essential for faculty members to keep pace with the latest research so they can present current knowledge to their students. Known as a warm person who cares deeply for his students, Weiss won a prestigious Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 1983, and two years ago he received the Computer Science Students Association Teaching Award.