College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Category
04.30.2013
The Alumni Association is honoring 21 NC State professors with the 2013 Faculty Awards for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Gary Lackmann, a professor and director of graduate programs in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Lackmann is one of seven professors being recognized as Alumni Association Outstanding Teachers.
What prompted you to become a professor? If you had asked me during my time as an undergraduate student if I would want to be a professor, I would have said “No! I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t want to!” But then I served as a teaching assistant for an introductory meteorology course while a MS student at the University of Washington. The students gave me tremendous positive feedback, and I enjoyed sharing science with students that were intimidated by the subject. It was extremely rewarding to help these students realize that they could understand science, and also that it could be fun and interesting. But I left school to work, and the idea of being a professor was still really only embryonic at that point. However, my next job was as a field meteorologist for the Navy, and I made two lengthy trips into the arctic as part of a field program. Long hours working on a ship in remote locations gave me time to contemplate. Subsequently I returned to school to earn my PhD, with the goal of teaching atmospheric science at the college level.
What are the keys to being a successful teacher/professor? At advanced levels, it is crucially important to stay current, and work to update and expand knowledge in emerging scientific areas. Bringing in examples and information that aims to make the material relevant to the students is helpful. Maintaining organization, while keeping a consistent but flexible structure clarifies expectations, and enables students to feel confident and comfortable. In order to keep students engaged, I use interactive discussions, hands-on projects, and student presentations to the extent that time permits. A major challenge is helping students to feel comfortable “thinking on their feet” while at the same time developing their critical thinking skills and challenging them to think independently. I strive to make the material and classroom experience exciting, and relevant to things to which they can relate. Lastly, I know that I have room for improvement. Good teachers, in my experience, do not rest on their laurels, but they keep working to get better. I utilize student feedback and performance to gauge where to focus my continued efforts to improve as a teacher, and I also try to learn from observing how others teach.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? Observing the success of students, knowing that teaching and mentoring has helped them in their careers, is highly satisfying. The independence and flexibility of faculty positions is also a wonderful aspect; I can study a wide range of topics, and I can expand my research or teaching into different areas of I, or my students, would like to. Publishing a novel finding, or better yet, when a student publishes a solid paper, is both exciting and rewarding.
04.29.2013
The Alumni Association is honoring 21 NC State professors with the 2013 Faculty Awards for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Molly Fenn, a teaching assistant professor of mathematics in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Fenn is one of seven professors being recognized as Alumni Association Outstanding Teachers.
What prompted you to become a professor? Teaching has been the clear path for me from a young age. As a young child I had an imaginary class of students I would talk to instead of imaginary friends. The biggest question for me was what level to teach. I admire K-12 school teachers tremendously but eventually learned that doing that job was not for me. Instead, I continued my mathematical studies (another passion of mine) until eventually I realized a faculty position at a college or university would be a great fit.
What are the keys to being a successful teacher/professor? Math can be intimidating to many students, so I think my biggest strengths as a teacher are being approachable, being willing to acknowledge when things are hard, and being willing to show and talk about my mistakes in doing mathematics. Sometimes watching a clear, well thought out lecture can lead students to believe math is not messy, but it is! That’s not to say I don’t plan my classes very carefully, but rather that I’m not afraid to change course, attempt something new or different on the fly, or even let students lead themselves or the whole class down the wrong path. Everyone takes new and often wrong paths all the time, this is how problems get solved. I believe it’s important for students to see and experience this in the classroom.
It’s also very important to me as a teacher that my students are as involved in the learning process as possible. In small classes this mean I often do very little talking but instead plan activities and problems for them to work on during class time. I then act more as their coach than their instructor, helping them when they get stuck and giving them encouragement and confidence when they need it. I’m still learning how to incorporate more of this inquiry or discovery based style of teaching and learning into larger classes.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? Seeing the lightbulbs go on. Those moments when students are frustrated and all of a sudden something clicks are amazing to watch and be part of. No matter how hard my day has been, if I can get into a classroom and see this happen, I can’t help but smile and feel great.
04.23.2013
The Alumni Association is honoring 21 NC State professors with the 2013 Faculty Awards for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Dean Lee, a professor of physics in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Lee is one of six professors being recognized as Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors.
What prompted you to become a professor? My father is a professor, and he has been a good role model. Being a professor is a wonderful way to have a positive lasting impact on society. As a professor I can investigate the deep mysteries and hidden beauty of our world while teaching the next generation of leaders and scholars. It is a nice mix of creating new knowledge, building new careers, and having fun.
What are the keys to being a successful teacher/professor? The main keys to successful teaching are knowing your students well and caring enough to fix problems that get in the way of learning. There are many different reasons why a student might do poorly in an academic course. One reason might be a weak background in prerequisite material. Another could be the inability to absorb concepts at the pace of the lecture. As an instructor there is a strong temptation to focus on the students who are doing well. A successful teacher is able to teach, motivate, and help all students, regardless of background and academic performance.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? I get the greatest satisfaction in seeing a student start the semester at the bottom of the class and then through hard work and perseverance finish near the top of the class. To this student the experience becomes a valuable lesson about the work and preparation needed for success in life.
02.02.2013
Pageantry has become a trademark of nearly all the presidential visits that have happened at NC State over the years, whether it was President Lyndon Johnson’s visit in 1964 or President Barack Obama’s in 2011.
But that wasn’t the case on this day in 1990, when President George H.W. Bush visited campus and made no public appearances.
Photo courtesy of NCSU Special Collections.
Instead, Bush spent his morning in Cox Hall touring two physics labs used in microelectronics research. He then joined a roundtable discussion with executives from the five top U.S. microelectronics firms who informed him how they were competing in an international market.
The visit was seen as a way to show Bush’s commitment to strengthen scientific education in the country. “I came her to learn and to listen and I started learning the minute I walked into those labs,” Bush said at the end of the roundtable discussion. “I learned not only a tiny bit about the science, but I also learned a lot about the dedication of the people that are teaching this generation of young aspiring Ph.D.’s. It’s been a good day.”
Bush also had a good day on NC State’s campus in April 1948, when he was a first-baseman for Yale’s baseball team that beat State, 9-6. “George Bush, Yale’s husky first sacker, racked up three hits…,” reads a 1948 News & Observer recap of that game. “He had a single, double and triple in his collection.”
01.25.2013
NC State University, the Wolfpack Club and the Alumni Association will recognize some of NC State’s greatest stars tonight at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C., honoring 18 alumni and friends of the university for their professional and personal accomplishments and their continuing support of NC State, the Wolfpack Club and the Alumni Association.
The honorees at the 9th Annual NC State Evening of Stars are:
COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED AWARD RECIPIENTS
Tommy Bunn ‘66, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Bunn, president of the U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, has spent more than 45 years in the tobacco industry. He got his start growing tobacco on his family farm, then went on to work for 21 years as executive vice president of the Leaf Tobacco Exporters Association and the Tobacco Association of the United States. He also worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the N.C. Department of Agriculture, and was a charter member and chairman of the Golden Leaf Foundation Board of Directors.
Charlie Stuber ‘65 PhD, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: For more than 35 years, Stuber held a joint appointment as a genetics professor at NC State and a research geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Stuber then came out of retirement to return to NC State in 2006 to develop and direct the Center for Plant Breeding and Applied Plant Genomics. The USDA Agricultural Research Service named him the Outstanding Scientist of the Year in 1989 and inducted Stuber into their Science Hall of Fame in 1989.
Steven Schuster ‘73, College of Design: Schuster is the founding principal of Clearscapes, a full-service architectural design firm in Raleigh. Under Schuster’s leadership, Clearscapes has been recognized with more than 75 design awards and worked on such notable projects as the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, the Haw River Ball Room, the Raleigh Convention Center and the Contemporary Art Museum. Schuster is also a national leader in the historic preservation community. He serves on the Board of Visitors at NC State.
Robert Bridges ‘70 MED, College of Education: Bridges taught sixth grade and then high school in Wake County before becoming principal at Crosby-Garfield Elementary School. He then went on to work in Wake County’s central office as a director, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent before becoming the superintendent in 1984. After five years leading the state’s second largest public school system, Bridges went on to become provost at St. Augustine College in Raleigh, and then worked as an education and management consultant and chaired the N.C. Advisory Commission on Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps.
Stephen Angel, ‘77, College of Engineering: Angel is chair, president and CEO of Praxair, Inc., a Fortune 300 company that ranks as the largest industrial gases producer and distributor in North and South America, with sales of $11 billion in 2011. Before joining Praxair, Angel spent more than two decades at GE, most recently as general manager of the company’s $2 billion power equipment business. He serves on the board of directors of the U.S.-China Business Council and PPG Industries, and is a member of the Business Roundtable, the Business Council and the U.S.-Brazil Forum.
Jimmy Clark ‘74, College of Engineering: Clark is the owner and president of Guy M. Turner, Inc., a diversified company that is a leader in the handling and moving of the heaviest equipment in the fields of rigging, machine tool installation, crane services and specialized transportation. The company has 12 offices in the United States and Canada. Clark serves on the NC State Board of Trustees, as well as on the board of directors for the NC State Alumni Association and the Engineering Foundation. He previously chaired the NC State Board of Visitors.
John Edmond ‘87, College of Engineering: While earning his PhD in material sciences and engineering, Edmond teamed with other graduate students and young faculty on some promising silicon carbide research. Upon graduation, the group co-founded what became CREE Inc., one of the world’s top LED manufacturers. Today, Edmond is director of advanced optoelectronics for the Durham-based company, which makes energy-efficient LED lights, lighting components and semiconductor products.
Susan Warren Rabon ‘82, College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Rabon is a member of the N.C. Utilities Commission, which regulates the rates and services of all of the state’s public utilities. Rabon, who received her law degree from the University of Virginia, has also worked as a clerk in the N.C. Court of Appeals, as special counsel and then chief of staff for the N.C. Department of Justice, and senior assistant for administration in the office of the governor. She has previously served on the NC State Board of Visitors.
Kevin Beasley ‘79, Poole College of Management: Beasley, a CPA, is a partner-in-charge of tax practice at the Raleigh office of Grant Thornton, one of the Big Six international accounting firms. He previously worked at Arthur Anderson, where he rose to the position of partner and earned a spot in the inaugural class of the NC State Accounting Hall of Fame.
Ray Tanner ‘80, College of Natural Resources: Tanner, a former All-ACC baseball player at NC State, was named athletics director for the University of South Carolina last year after spending 25 years as a collegiate head baseball coach, including nine years as the head coach at NC State. Under Tanner’s direction, the baseball team at South Carolina won two NCAA Division I Baseball Championships and made six appearances in the College World Series. Tanner has been named National Coach of the Year three times.
Sung Won Lee, ‘60 MS, ‘67 PhD, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences: After earning his graduate degrees at NC State, Lee returned to his native South Korea to lead the S-Oil Corporation to success as the third largest oil refinery in Korea. He also served as chairman of two South Korean chemical companies. But his passion is downhill skiing, and his family built Korea’s oldest and largest ski and snowboard resort, which will host alpine skiing events for the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics. Lee is founder and president of the Asian Ski Federation, former vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia and honorary president of the Korean Ski Association.
Michael Fralix ‘00 PhD, College of Textiles: Fralix is the president and CEO of [TC]2, a company that develops next generation supply chain technologies such as 3-D body scanners used in product development for apparel and equipment, made-to-measure clothing, clothing size and style recommendations and body shape analysis.
Dr. Laura Rush ‘97 DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine: Rush began her career as a registered nurse, specializing in the care of cancer patients, before going to vet school. Following graduation, she joined the faculty at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and headed a laboratory funded by the National Institute of Health that focused on cancer research in dogs and humans. Rush now works as vice president and associate medical director for GSW Worldwide, a healthcare marketing firm where she helps develop marketing strategies for healthcare companies.
WOLFPACK CLUB AWARD
Nora Lynn Finch, Ronnie Shavlik Award: Finch was a pioneer for collegiate women’s athletics, serving as the ACC’s first female assistant athletics director and negotiated the first women’s basketball tournament television contract with CBS. At NC State, Finch served as head volleyball and softball coach, associate head coach for women’s basketball, and assistant, associate and senior associate athletics director. She is currently the ACC’s associate commissioner for women’s basketball operations and senior women’s administrator. She has been inducted into the National Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS
Ryan DeJong ‘05, Outstanding Young Alumnus: DeJong, chief operating officer of FIRM Consulting Group, has led the Tampa NC State Alumni Network since 2007. As network leader, DeJong has aggressively promoted his alma mater and the Alumni Association. He recruits and manages volunteers to staff local college fairs and plans many types of group activities for his fellow Tampa Wolfpackers.
Sherice Nivens ‘98, Outstanding Young Alumnus: Nivens, cardiac sales manager for Intuitive Surgical, is a member of the PAMS Alumni and Friends Advisory Board and a founding member of the Dean’s Circle. She served as the keynote speaker for the 2009 Department of Chemistry graduation ceremony and the 2010 Society of African American Physical and Mathematical Scientists annual banquet.
Bill Collins ‘54, ‘61 MS, Meritorious Service Award: Collins, a world renowned expert in tobacco field production, was a Philip Morris Professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for 28 years. Since retiring in 2005, Collins joined the CALS Office of College Advancement as senior director of development. He is a former member of the board of directors of the Alumni Association.
Judi Grainger ‘72 MS, Meritorious Service Award: Grainger served as president of the Alumni Association board of directors in 2011 and served for a total of 14 years on the board. She also serves on the NC State Board of Visitors, the College of Education Advisory Board and the board of directors of The State Club.
10.22.2012
Photo courtesy of NCSU Creative Services.
Many students spend their college years counting down the days until their last exam, the final lecture they have to sit through and the last time they have to see their professors.
But during this year’s homecoming, which is more robust to celebrate NC State’s 125th anniversary, different colleges at NC State will offer alumni a chance to come back and experience the classroom one more time. But this time there will be no homework.
Classes without Quizzes, an event taking place Friday, Nov. 2, will allow alumni to return to their respective colleges and attend lectures highlighting current research by faculty. Alumni will also get to catch up with friends and enjoy refreshments as they hear about the work that illustrates NC State’s role as a leader in innovation and education .
“The Classes Without Quizzes concept provides a wonderful opportunity for families and alumni to reconnect with NC State by exploring the outstanding work of our students and faculty within the broader context of our 125th anniversary homecoming celebrations,” says Chancellor Randy Woodson. “These activities showcase NC State’s academic excellence and innovative research while developing the strong alumni relationships critical for broadening the audience of the NC State story.”
Some colleges, like the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, will offer a general lecture about a discipline. The college’s program, “Albert & Isaac’s Excellent Adventure,” promises to make physics applicable to anybody.
“Things will explode,” says Marla Gregg, PAMS director of alumni and donor relations. “It’s really geared for people of all ages. It makes physics and science experiments fun.”
Gregg hopes the classroom setting will allow alumni to remember their time at NC State.
“I think any excuse to get alumni to campus is awesome because it can be difficult for people to get back ,” she says. “When people come back, they get nostalgic and they get those memories. They remember just how important it is to remain close to the university.”
The College of Engineering will offer more a specialized approach. Brian Campbell, executive director of development and college relations at the NC State Engineering Foundation, says it was hard to choose one topic to encompass the college’s research. So the college zeroed in on the “great challenges” of our time: energy, security and health. Alumni can choose to attend any of those three simultaneous sessions.
In addition to generating feelings of nostalgia, Classes without Quizzes also gives NC State a chance to advertise the work happening on campus in 2012. “I feel that you have to say that ‘This is pretty cool,’ and that ‘My institution has evolved into this,’” Campbell says.
The College of Natural Resources will also hold an event where its ambassadors will discuss what it’s like to be a student in that college today. And the College of Design will host an event at the Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh where families will be asked to design a solution to a design problem. Contact the college for registration information.
And don’t worry. You won’t be tested on this material later.
07.11.2012
In 1996, President Bill Clinton commissioned the National Science and Technology Council to create an award celebrating emerging researchers in the fields of science and technology at the outset of their careers.
The result was the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. The PECASE award is given annually to a group of researchers who “show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge during the twenty-first century.”
While working on a story that appears in the upcoming issue of NC State magazine on NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology in Morehead City, N.C., we discovered that three Wolfpack alumni now working in various departments at the neighboring National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s lab in Beaufort have been honored with the award. Each was cited for his award and attended an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., the following year. We caught up with the winners to tell us about their research, their award experience and what their honors say about NC State.
Kyle Shertzer ‘97 MR, ‘01 PHD works in stock assessment at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. He was given the PECASE award in 2003 for his research on evolution and population dynamics of fisheries. Shertzer studies how populations of certain species of fish change over time, focusing his work on how fishing can affect the biology of fish, which can, in turn, affect the optimal rates at which fishermen can pull fish from the sea.
What sticks out about the awards ceremony…You go to the White House to receive the award at a banquet. Being versed in that is not my normal routine. …It was during the fall of 2004. [George W. Bush] was busy campaigning, so he didn’t show up. That part was disappointing, but his science adviser was there.
What the award says about NC State…It makes the case that the graduate programs there are strong. People coming out of those programs are competitive at the national and international levels. The programs are top-notch in the country. (Photo by Marc Hall)
Chris Taylor ‘99 MS, ‘04 PHD is a research ecologist at the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. He received the PECASE award in 2009 for his work in using underwater sonar to better understand fish and their ecosystems. “We’re trying to get a picture of fish under water,” he says.
His feelings the day of the awards ceremony…We started off with a brunch that just was with members of NOAA and the Department of Commerce. It was then that I realized there were some very intelligent people who won the award. And I was surprised I was one of them.
The moment that sticks out the most…The most special moment was standing there on the bleachers, joking around with everybody until the Secret Service walked in. And President Obama walked in and you could feel everyone leaning toward him, like flowers toward the sun. It was very magnetic. (Photo Courtesy of the National Ocean Service)
James Morris ‘09 PHD is an ecologist at the Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. He grew up in Carteret County, N.C., a son of a six-generation fishing family. He was honored with the PECASE award in 2010 for his research on the biology and ecological impacts of lionfish invasions in the southeast United States and the Caribbean.
Remembering President Obama’s remarks…He spoke to us a while about picking winners, that we need to pick winners. We’ve led the world in space exploration. In the future, we’re going to have to pick winners. He addressed how, in the room, there was a significant amount of capital.
What the award means to Morris…I don’t get to claim credit for this by myself. There are so many professors, mentors and family members who’ve helped me. …It was a rewarding and unique experience. I couldn’t help but think what my grandfather would have thought, the same little boy who was out on a shrimp boat with him was shaking the president’s hand because of his accomplishments in marine science. (Photo courtesy of the National Ocean Service)
07.09.2012
James Morris ‘09 PHD spends his time plotting defenses for invasions. No, he doesn’t work for the Department for Homeland Security, and he’s not in the military.
Morris, who did his doctoral work at NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST), is an ecologist at the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research in Beaufort, N.C. In our upcoming issue of NC State magazine, we profile his work for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on invasive species, like Asian tiger shrimp and lionfish, that have come into North Carolina’s waters. (Photo courtesy of the National Ocean Service)
But Morris’ work goes beyond those invasive pests. He’s also a leading researcher in the field of aquaculture, which is the cultivation of marine species and aquatic life for either consumption by humans or for use in biofuels. From its use on trout or catfish farms to its implementation in the ocean, aquaculture is a science that’s meaning more these days with the demand for seafood constantly growing while supplies are flatlining.
“There are job creation opportunities,” Morris says. “There are a lot of reasons we think marine aquaculture is poised to expand.”
One of Morris’ areas of focus is on cage culture. It’s a technique where fish are cultivated in a large aquapods, like the one seen in the picture here (photo by Snapperfarm), or cages, that are submerged in the ocean. Up until recently, it has been used in a few areas in the country, like the Northwest, where cages have been used to cultivate salmon. Morris says there’s also cage culture in the Northeast and in the Bahamas.
With advances in the engineering of those cages, which can actually be steered now, and the research that Morris does concerning the impacts on marine life and water quality, cage culture could expand in the U.S.
“Many of those impacts can be avoided if siting happens in a proper way,” Morris says. “We could see activity in the Gulf of Mexico. There’s activity in the Southwest.”
But Morris doesn’t forecast a growing cage culture for North Carolina, where it’s never been tried.
“In the Southeast, it’s going to be difficult to do aquaculture in the sea,” Morris says. “It just gets so rough. It’s such a shallow shelf. I’m not saying it’s not completely doable, but we’re not sure about it right now.”
07.09.2012
Chelsea Ingram thought her pageant days were over when she graduated from NC State last year and moved to Vermont. She had competed in the Miss North Carolina pageant four times, finishing in the top 10 three times, but Ingram was focused on getting her career launched as a television weather forecaster.
Ingram had majored in meteorology at NC State — drawn by the urge to understand the weather after experiencing the fury of Hurricane Fran in 1996 — but left her hometown of Raleigh to get some broadcast training at Lyndon State College in Vermont. She was able to learn from the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore, an alumnus of Lyndon State, and work on a news program broadcast by the college.
One of the viewers, as it turned out, was a former Miss Vermont. And she got in touch with Ingram to encourage her to enter the Miss Vermont pageant. Ingram was intrigued, but was not sure whether she could compete and pursue her career at the same time.
Ingram soon landed a job, as a shared weather forecaster for a Fox station and an ABC station in Vermont. And the bosses there had no problems with Ingram also competing to become Miss Vermont.
“I thought I was done with pageants, and needed to get focused on my career,” Ingram says. “I never would have thought that in the end, they would both end up going hand-in-hand.”
As a relative newcomer to the state, Ingram would seemingly be at a competitive disadvantage in seeking to become Miss Vermont. But she said her job helped her quickly gain an understanding and appreciation of Vermont, and so she was ready when she was asked during the pageant where she would take someone new to Vermont.
“The great thing about the position I’m in is that I already have credibility as a Vermonter and as a meteorologist,” she says. “That made it easier for them to adapt to me not being a native. I told them, ‘I didn’t get to choose where I was born, but now I am able to choose where I live and work.’”
Ingram was surprised, though, when they called her name last month as the new Miss Vermont. She will compete for the title of Miss America in January.
“I don’t know if it’s hit me yet,” she says. “Competing for Miss America has been a dream of mine since I was a very little girl.”
Ingram has responsibilities as Miss Vermont to make appearances around the state, but she says her bosses at the station are supportive of her role as Miss Vermont. “Everywhere I go, it promotes the station,” she says.
Besides, Ingram continues to be fascinated with the weather and appreciates having the chance to help her viewers understand it.
“My forecast is based on how it will impact people’s plans,” Ingram says. “I try to cater to my viewers and how they make their plans. I try to think about what I would like to hear.”
Ingram says that competing in pageants has been critical to her initial success in her career.
“If it wasn’t for competing in the Miss America organization, I would not have my job,” she says. “Competing in that has taught me communication, leadership and time management. I developed more confidence by performing on stage. Those are all key components in doing weather on television.”
05.01.2012
The Alumni Association will honor 21 NC State professors on May 3 for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Maria Oliver-Hoyo, an associate professor of chemical education in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Oliver-Hoyo is one of six professors being recognized as Distinguished Undergraduate Professors.
What is the key to being a successful teacher? Listening to students and to yourself … The moment an educator thinks he/she has all the answers, effectiveness is lost. Listening to what students have to say should trigger reflection about our own practices. The teaching process is the ultimate learning experience and learning is an endless process.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? There is nothing like witnessing a student’s “Aha” moment or receiving communication from a former student letting you know how they are doing.
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