Personal Essays on the Scholarship of Teaching

Cassandra L. Fraser, Department of Chemistry
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Award, 1999-03
National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 1998-02

My teaching, research, and educational backgrounds are all characterized by their interdisciplinary nature. I have always been drawn to the interfaces and barely defined edges of fields. I am always curious about what the language and concepts of one discipline have to offer another. As a student, I experienced a growing frustration that the traditional chemistry curriculum provided little help in determining what research was worth pursuing, why chemistry was important for society, and how it related to medicine, to the environment, and to everyday life. In my own education I worked to amend this by carrying out research in areas as diverse as inorganic and organometallic chemistry, polymer and organic synthesis, and in biochemistry, molecular biology, and toxicology. I also left chemistry for a time to obtain an interdisciplinary B.A. in the history of thought and a master's degree from Harvard Divinity School in order to better understand, among other things, the ethical dimensions of science in society. These diverse experiences provide me with a unique perspective that not only strongly influences my approach to teaching in content and style, but also allows me to better appreciate and foster the varied interests and career goals of my students.

The interdisciplinary theme is also central to the changes being made in the '80s series curriculum. Previously CHEM 182 and 281 were essentially traditional organic chemistry courses taught at a slightly more accelerated pace. But rather than plodding through an organic textbook, I believe that much can be gained by discovering underlying patterns in the ways that molecules interact in many different contexts. Topics as diverse as the chemistry of cancer, biological polymers and synthetic materials, metal chelation therapy, catalysis and geopolitically important industrial processes, molecular recognition on cell surfaces and synthetic receptors, and peptide and natural product synthesis provide fascinating illustrations of basic modes of reactivity. All of these topics afford the opportunity to review important chemical principles, to gain insight into the history of discovery, and to become acquainted with cutting-edge research that fills the pages of both the scientific literature and the popular press. While courses for nonscience majors often revolve around fascinating and relevant themes, it has never made sense to me why those who are genuinely interested in chemistry are typically "protected" from these topics until graduate school or later, or they are simply left to pursue them on their own. In my experience, the inclusion of history, social relevance, and current research into the curriculum enhances CHEM 281. This way students are challenged to approach their study with greater personal involvement and maturity. They develop a genuine appreciation for chemistry and a stronger intuition for its principles.

Every year my students tell me that they are shocked to find that I am genuinely interested in them and that I care. A little bit of attention goes a long way with students. And it is a privilege, not a chore, to spend time with young people as fascinating and talented as these. In both the classroom and the lab I begin with the assumption that all students have some special talent, and I concern myself with trying to discern and foster it, whatever it might be. Regardless of the course level, I expect students to have opinions, to think and learn independently, and to take an active role in defining their work. Though I expect a lot, I do not believe in setting upper limits. Instead, I let students define this for themselves based on their intelligence and motivation. For this reason, the undergraduates in both my class and my laboratory routinely perform graduate-level work, often without even realizing how advanced they have become! One might think that setting the bar so high could be demoralizing for some. But after the semesters have ended, I have received letters from some of the weaker students in the class telling me how glad they are that they took my course and that they apologize for not doing better. This is not only gratifying to me; I think it also says a lot about them. Though I am just starting my career and there is certainly much room for improvement, so far this approach seems to work and to bring out the best in students.