Scott Chandler Ph.D. ’79

---

 

Scott Chandler defies the stereotypical image of the lab coat-wearing, fact-pushing scientist in his approach to teaching. They key to his pedagogical success is in his exceptional ability to bring a “human side” to the sciences.

Constantly working to bring down the barriers between teacher and student, he sprinkles his lectures with humor and personal anecdotes to retain attention. Recalls one former student, “During each lecture, he gives us mental health breaks. These include such things as overheads of himself during his hippie days at UC Berkeley. He always keeps us informed about the sports teams on campus and about the newest movies in the theaters. This way, we have fun and learn simultaneously.” His effectiveness has even inspired colleagues to follow his teaching style, creating comfortable environments to augment students’ learning experiences.

Chandler’s success can also be attributed to his focus on the “big picture.” Emphasizing critical thinking rather than trivia, he makes complex ideas accessible to his students. Consistent with this emphasis, he also promotes group work in his classes. As on student notes, “Some classes, especially required major classes, are very competitive, but Chandler breaks down the walls of competition among students by encouraging us to work together and help each other.”

His methodology inspires his students, who consistently rate him at the top of his department. He often garners ratings about eight (on a nine-point scale) for his Life Science II course, compared to the department average of low sevens. With his outstanding contributions to his field, he has also been recognized by his peers, receiving joint endorsements from the department of physiological science, the life science core curriculum and the undergraduate interdepartmental program in neuroscience.