My friends and I love Gilbert Strang. So much so, that last year during his 18.085 class we made him cup-cakes for his birthday. (see: http://www-math.mit.edu/~gs/PIX/cupcakematrixtxt.jpg).
EDIT (to make this post not as content-free): Prof. Strang keeps the hope alive that some distinguished faculty in top research universities still place an emphasis on great undergraduate teaching
Incidentally, what makes that his favorite matrix?