The Viewbook

Biology

Candace Winstead

Kinesiology

Robert D. Clark

Robert D. Clark (Bob) Field: Kinesiology (Biomechanics and Motor Control) Reason for entering teaching field: It allows me to transfer knowledge and skills to those who could really do more with that information/skills than myself. Reason for entering the field: Originally interested in health promotion. I was originally interested in engineering my first years in college, but I took some time off worked in a couple of corporate settings in which I encountered many people who were not very fit and engaged in unhealthy lifestyles. Some of these people were my age. I knew there had to be a better way. But once back in school, I was hooked on Biomechanics. Favorite Quote: Sometimes not getting what you want is an incredible stroke of luck (Dalai Lama) What(Who) inspires you?: My students. they are really smart. Funny too. Last reason to explode in laughter: I was chased by a pretty mean looking dog while on the way home from work (I was on my bike). As soon as he caught up to me, I slammed on the brakes and came to a sudden stop. We stood there looking at each other for about five seconds. He had this look on his face like he didn't know what to do. Then he trotted away. Biggest challenge: creating learning environments in which students have to really think. They are really smart, but our educational system often turns students into "memory storage devices"... I try to get them to see the big picture... connect the dots... it's not always easy. Description by students: My students have said my classes are sometimes like a cross between the Twilight Zone and Cirque du Soleil. they also say that I expect them to actually know something, and to be able to think. They also say that being in class is very important. Favorite part of the day: Besides teaching, it would have to be riding my bike to or from work (I do cycling research, so I always bring and take home work with me) Reason for coming to Cal Poly: There was a job here and I applied (it was good timing.... just got my PhD and the there was an opening). Favorite weekend activity: Walking unshod (barefoot) on the beach. Favorite part of the central coast: The beaches, especially north Morro Bay.

Liberal Studies

Lola Berber-Jimenez

Lola Berber-Jimenez, Ph.D. Field: Chemistry, Elementary School Education, Science Education Reason for entering teaching: love to learn Reason for entering the field: insatiable curiosity Favorite quote: "Education is a business; Leaning is a process" Jonathan Wilson Continued inspiration: my children Last reason to explode in laughter: listening to the latest podcast of NPR's Wait Wait don't Tell me Biggest challenge: keeping up with the 21st century challenges Description by students: always available Favorite part of the day: mornings Perfect day: coffee, check the garden, work, come home to a nice dinner & family time Reason for coming to Cal Poly: it was the California cheese! (following my husband's career) Favorite weekend activity: gardening, hiking Favorite part of the central coast: open spaces

Microbiology

Pat Fidopiastis

Pat Fidopiastis Field: Microbiology Reason for entering teaching: I was a whimsical kid that had a hard time picking up information that did not seem practical or relevant to the world around me. For example, we learned about π in 6th grade. However, it was merely presented to us a 3.14.. and then we used it to solve some problems. "But what exactly is it?" I wondered. Thus, it became just another meaningless thing to memorize. For a long time I thought, "maybe I'm just stupid". However, as I encountered professors in college that were more engaged in teaching, and that were excited about similar things as me, I excelled. By my junior year in college, I decided that I was not just going to teach, but I was going to use my insight to reach students from all backgrounds, not just the top 2% that always "get it" right away. Reason for entering the field: Like most interested in biology, I entered college as a "pre-med major", but had my epiphany after taking general microbiology during my sophomore year. By the end of this class, I discovered an amazing field with dramatic influence over all other fields of biology and medicine and many outside fields as well (e.g. chemistry, geology, art history, etc). The biomedical implications of microbiology are obvious; pathogenic microbes have killed more humans than all wars together. But few appreciate that without microbes, the vast majority of which are beneficial, plants and animals simply could not exist. For example, gut microbes aid in digestion, synthesize essential vitamins, and have profound influence on our development from birth to death. Microbes are better chemists than humans, are involved in many geologic phenomena (e.g. rock erosion, etc), and as I type this, are slowly degrading precious works of art. Favorite quote: "An expert is just some guy from out of town." Mark Twain (the point is to always question, always think critically, don't just immediately accept what someone says, especially someone claiming to be an expert) Continued inspiration: My father and mother, who devoted their entire existence to providing the best they could for my siblings and me. The only way I can return the favor is to do the best I can for my children. Last reason to explode in laughter: I am a parent of two small children (a 3 year old and a 9 month old) who vehemently fight going to sleep. Anyone who has children, and who therefore knows what lack of sleep does to a person, must read "Go the F#%$ to Sleep by Adam Mansbach. I was literally crying with laughter the first time I read this book a few months ago. Biggest challenge: Raising two small children with all the love and support that my parents gave me, staying connected with my wife, and maintaining excellence in professional development and teaching at work. Description by students: Based on 6 years of evaluations from the 10 or so different courses that I teach at Poly my "Overall Performance" rating is a 3.75/ 4.0 (a solid "A"). One thing that students routinely say in my evaluations is that they really enjoy stories of my personal experiences that are relevant to a particular topic (which is often how I convey the reason for why they should learn something). Another frequent comment is that students really appreciate my passion for microbiology. Without microbes, there would be no life on earth. Period. That underlying theme fuels the passion in everything I say! Favorite part of the day: When I get home from work, we pack up and walk to a local park. Perfect day: Any day at the beach with my family or any day that we can go for a hike. Reason for coming to Cal Poly: The Cal Poly Biology Department allows its faculty to decide on the perfect blend of teaching and research to suit their needs. This is unusual for an institution with such a great reputation. To every university I applied to other than Poly, teaching was something you had to do while focusing on getting big grants and publishing a steady stream of papers. These are important pursuits, and I always work towards those goals, but there is reasonable pressure to achieve them at Poly, making having a family and a large teaching load easier to manage. Favorite weekend activity: It's a toss up: surfing, hiking, biking, running…. Anything active! Favorite part of the central coast: It is the perfect combination of great weather, beautiful coastline, and wide-open spaces.

Physics (BA)

Tom Bensky

Tom Bensky Field: Physics Reason for entering teaching: I love physics and love explaining it to other people, particularly when it requires cool laboratory equipment to be used. Reason for entering the field: Physics is so complicated and so comprehensive in what it explains, and so rewarding to even understand a small part of it all. Favorite quote: "The harder I work, the luckier I get." Continued inspiration: Always finding new ways of teaching physics, particularly with new technology. Last reason to explode in laughter: reading Bill Bryson's blurb about parking a car in England. Biggest challenge: instilling a "work-hard" ethic in my 11-year-old son and my Cal Poly students. Description by students: "keeps me awake in class, but grades too hard, talks too fast, assigns too much homework." Favorite part of the day: an early (8am) quantum laboratory session, when all of the equipment is on and humming and students are quietly taking their measurements. Perfect day: Wouldn't know...never had one! Reason for coming to Cal Poly: I didn't want to live in a big city, and the physics department here is very lively and healthy, with lots of majors and a large variety of teaching opportunities. Favorite weekend activity: a hike (or bike ride) with my wife and son, a stop by In-n-Out burger, then having nothing to do for the rest of the weekend. Favorite part of the central coast: the open space and going to downtown SLO with my wife on a weekday evening during the summer.

Physics (BS)

Steve Drasco

Steve Drasco Field: gravity, gravitational waves, black holes, and theoretical astrophysics. Reason for entering teaching: I enjoy organizing my understanding of things in an effort to find the simplest way to explain them. I was often confused as a student, and I enjoy thinking about how I could best help someone in a similar spot. I think teaching is a great contrast with research, with one often inspiring the other. With teaching, the instant feedback is refreshing. With research, results take months or years to obtain, and knowing their real significance usually takes longer. Reason for entering the field: I was excited about the development of a new way to observe the universe (by detection of gravitational waves). Since our understanding of nature is often driven by new observations or experiments, I hope that this new way of looking at the universe will help to sort out the apparent difficulty in merging our understanding of gravity with the rest of physics. Favorite quote: I'm not sure this counts, but I really like this book dedication by John Archibald Wheeler, "We dedicate this book to our fellow citizens who, for love of truth, take from their own wants by taxes and gifts, and now and then send forth one of themselves as dedicated servant, to forward the search into the mysteries and marvelous simplicities of this strange and beautiful universe, our home." Continued inspiration: Music, and things to read. Last reason to explode in laughter: Talking with old friends, about old times. Biggest challenge: I would like to become fixated on the good things that happen over the course each day, and to forget about the frustrating things. It's so easy to do the opposite. Description by students: ??? Favorite part of the day: Early morning, listening to music and thinking about what I hope to get done that day. perfect day: Perfect is a bit strong, I'll aim for good. Get up early without an alarm, come to campus and lecture for a while, then grade a stack of exams that are filled only with correct answers. Reason for coming to Cal Poly: I wanted to do more teaching, and I was eager to come back home to California, and the states in general. Favorite weekend activity: maintenance projects on my car, hopefully without breaking anything. Favorite part of the central coast: I love being so close to home (Los Angeles) while still being able to live in a smallish town with so much natural beauty.

Statistics

Soma Roy

Soma Roy Field: Statistics Reason for entering teaching: I had always wanted to be an educator. When I was a kid, I would pretend that my parents' living room was a classroom, and the chairs were students. I would walk around the room teaching these "students" what I had learnt at school that day. There has always been a part of me which loves being able to share knowledge with others, to help them understand and learn. Reason for entering the field: I loved mathematics as a kid, but some of the abstract material did not appeal to me. I wanted to be able to apply mathematics to finding out how the world works. Hence, Statistics! Statistics lets me use numbers to explore various fields, such as, health, psychology, education, and sociology. Favorite quote: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." – Dr. Seuss. Continued inspiration: My mother Last reason to explode in laughter: A really bad statistics joke. Yes, I know… weird! Biggest challenge: Trying to get 25 hours' worth of work done in 24 hours Description by students: You'd have to ask them… I don't want to take liberties here :) Favorite part of the day: Night… it's a time to reflect on the entire day, and look forward to a new one. Perfect day: Pancakes for breakfast, nice long hike, sit by the ocean and read a book, watch the sunset - all while surrounded by the ones I love. Reason for coming to Cal Poly: I really wanted to be involved in undergraduate education, and the Cal Poly Statistics Department is one of the best in the nation, probably the best – so when I was offered a job, I did what any sensible person would do – took the offer. Favorite weekend activity: Hanging out with friends, going to the SLO Botanic Garden to volunteer at activities, and meeting up with a low-vision person for whom I read. Favorite part of the central coast: Montana de Oro – I love to sit on the rocks by the water, and watch the waves.