from University of British Columbia, Canada. from University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and her Ph.D. I often joke with my students that if I am their patient one day I want to know that they really understand key elements of infection and disease. I am humbled that I get to be a part of their career plans. Some plan to work in health clinics in Africa or Mexico. Many microbiology students go on to careers in allied health, particularly nursing. Another student was accepted to vet school in Scotland. Recently a student completed the class and then wrote a rap song inspired by gas gangrene. I love to hear that students who have previously been intimidated by science find it fascinating and fun. I would find it difficult to choose a “moment”. A teaching job has its perks if you like to travel and maintain a love of learning! What was your proudest moment working with students? Last summer I explored the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This past weekend I was in Monterey with two days in the world famous aquarium, a few weeks ago I was in Yellowstone National Park. Plus, I get summers off to travel with my family. If I can play a small role in the lifelong learning process then my job has meaning. I love it when students ask to borrow books to read and when they bring in articles they found in the library or in the newspaper. I am inspired by Parker Palmer, a highly respected writer and teacher: “ are able to weave a complex web of connections among themselves, their subjects, and their students, so that students can learn to weave a world for themselves.” I get excited when students see the relevance of the material in my classroom. I care about my students and my subject area. There is an anonymous quote that captures both of these suggestions: “If you study to remember you will forget, but, if you study to understand, you will remember." What’s the favorite part of your job? Consider running a long distance marathon, you have to put in regular training to achieve ultimate success. Keep up with the material, whether you are reading or writing or thinking. Do NOT cram for an exam the night before. Patricia Cross states that “passive learning is an oxymoron there is no such thing”. These topics come alive when you relate them to your own life and their impact on society. Everything from drug resistance, MRSA, nosocomial infections, mad cow disease to H1N1. In the field of infectious disease there is so much we talk about in the classroom that then is heard in the current news. Find what interests you, pursue it passionately and learn at a deep level. Get involved, don’t be passive, engage your mind. Let it excite you the way it did when you were a toddler. What advice would you give to a new college student?įirstly, be open to learning and the process of discovery. I am interested in helping students understand this dichotomy as they learn about microbes. If we consider the impact of just three diseases: AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, we can appreciate how devastating infectious disease is on a global level. The vast majority of microbes are beneficial and just a small percentage, known as pathogens, cause disease. The more we understand about the microbial world the better we are able to evaluate the role they play in our quality of life. Yet they are often labeled as “dangerous germs”. Microbes play a critical role in our ecosystem and impact all aspects of the earth and its residents. This interest in education is coupled with my training as a bench scientist and the study of the unseen microbial world. I am interested in all living organisms but since I started teaching I have been fascinated by how people learn. Linda Abraham Faculty / Biology / Folsom Lake College What aspect of Biology are you most interested in?īiology is the study of life. "Be open to learning and the process of discovery."
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