Eugene Switkes– Teaching Statement 2002-03
Professorof Chemistry

Although I would probably feel more comfortable in discussing quantum mechanics or neuroscience with you, I am grateful to the student nominators and the Committee on Teaching and for this opportunity to describe some aspects of my teaching. However before I begin, I should note what I consider a very important first rule of teaching: the realization that there are a wide variety of approaches to good teaching. With this in mind, let me articulate my approach; it is just one approach, but hopefully one that is effective for the classes that I teach.

Background:
A PhD in theoretical chemistry and subsequently 25 years of research on human vision have enabled me to teach in two very diverse subject areas, quantum mechanics and visual perception. Recently at UCSC I have taught courses in the Departments of Chemistry and Biology at the introductory (General Chemistry, 1B; Psychobiology 70), upper division (Quantum Chemistry, 163A), and graduate (Chemical Group Theory, 273) levels. In addition, I have taught in the graduate program in Vision Science at UC Berkeley (Vision Sciences 212E) and have taught vision science to high school students participating in the UCSC/NSF Center for Adaptive Optics module in the COSMOS summer program. Operating in such a schizophrenic, bi-disciplinary, environment has been challenging, but exciting; I recall one instance where I struggled to keep my lectures notes straight when in the morning I discussed the wave-particle duality for the chemistry 163 class and later that afternoon the mind-body duality for biology 70 students.

Excitement in teaching:
Two elements that I feel are central to my role as an educator are a passion for the disciplinary material which I teach and empathy and respect for the students with whom I work. I am unapologetically provincial in believing that the scientific description of our perception of nature is one of the most beautiful accomplishments of the human intellect. Each of my classes has its own ‘story’, told from the first [fun!] session where the relevant ‘big questions’ are asked and contradictions in our thinking about nature are exposed. Subsequently the tale unfolds (perhaps not so universally regarded as ‘fun’ by my students!), building on how a few premises lead to predictions about our experiences with ‘nature’. How the application of six postulates of quantum mechanics and two laws of thermodynamics can lead to our understanding of ‘why things happen’ [on a molecular scale] or how the electrical activity of neurons in the brain can be correlated with an actual perceptual phenomenon in vision are stories well worth an educator’s passion. There is also excitement in sharing with students the unanswered questions that their generation of scientists will address- how do we apply our fundamental knowledge of molecules to the complex systems of biology or how to build ‘designer’ molecular structures for specific applications; how can we begin to approach the ‘hard’ questions of neuroscience such as neural correlates of thought.

I believe that, in addition to disciplinary expertise, successful teaching requires respect and empathy for students. Interaction, empathy, and respect for students have reaped rewards for me via the students’ fresh views and novel input to my disciplinary thinking as well as by my awareness of their struggles, growth, and successes as individuals. Students appreciate this aspect of teaching and respond with increased efforts in their pursuit of disciplinary material.

Techniques and approaches

• Although expertise, disciplinary passion, and empathy provide a philosophical foundation for teaching, one still has to ‘deliver the goods’ in the lecture hall, the laboratory, and in one-to-one instruction. What are some of the ways by which I attempt to implement my philosophy?
  
  Respect and empathy for students demand that I “put myself in the place of the student” (even if this occasionally requires a flashback to bygone years!). Will my lecture make sense given the expected background of the students? Will the lecture be interesting and do I make it clear why the required material is important? Are my expectations for the students challenging but reasonable?
  
  
• Lectures should be interactive; of course, an idea at least as old as Socrates. Even in a class of 400 one can efficiently deliver a large body of material by posing conceptual questions to the audience. Historical context [eg Bohr and Heisenberg discussing quantum mechanics over a Carlsberg beer] can often provide a pedagogically effective break during a long mathematical derivation as well as a memorable point of reference for teacher and students.
  
  
• As faculty at a research university, we are fortunate to fill the dual role of researcher and educator (in fact, this role may not be so “dual” since the border between research and teaching is properly diffuse or non-existent).It is important to have undergraduates realize that at UCSC the research and education are intertwined. In classes at every level, I refer to my own research and that of colleagues. Even in my lower division classes, each TA provides a description of their thesis research when they are introduced at the first class session. Undergraduates should be invited to departmental colloquia; they should be encouraged to become participants in our research endeavor.
  
  
• The WWW, e-mail, and PowerPoint have become important teaching tools that I use extensively. However effective use of this technology requires that I attempt to find a careful balance between exploiting its advantages while not becoming so technologically ‘cute’ that the student loses contact with the material or the professor.
  
  
• I have been fortunate to work with a number of outstanding TAs in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. I involve them in almost every aspect of the course; I learn a great deal from them; I try to offer them mentorship in how a university faculty approaches education and research. I am gratified that many consider teaching to be an important part of their career plans.
  

Other teaching related and student advising roles
In addition to formal and informal advising for undergraduates and graduate students in chemistry and vision sciences, I have been active in other educational roles. I teach in the COSMOS program for high school students and am a Co-PI on an extensive NSF grant (submitted) organized by the EPC. This grant (STAARMAS) proposes interactions among UCSC faculty in engineering, mathematics, and the physical and biological sciences with regional K-12 education. For the past 3 years, I have been the UCSC Faculty Athletic Representative. This position involves academic advising and eligibility certification for the scholar-athletes on the UCSC intercollegiate teams. I was motivated to accept this responsibility by an interest in this ‘subculture’ of UCSC students. I have been gratified by interactions with a number of our outstanding scholar-athletes all of whom accept our mantra, “at UCSC academics come first”, while sharing with me their commitment and passion for athletics.

Although there is more that I could add regarding my approach to teaching, I should abide by another very important rule of teaching: try not to be pretentious and know when it is time to dismiss the class. I am not sure I have succeeded in all of the nuances of this rule, but let me attempt to comply by concluding my remarks and thanking you for your consideration.