Speaks OutFriday, November 6, 1998
Speaks Out
Do you feel there is a good balance between teaching and
research at UCLA’s? Do they complement each other or do they
conflict?
"Teachers heavily into research are less interested in teaching
and helping undergraduates. They pay more attention to their lab
workers and graduate students. The best, most committed teachers
are those who are solely teachers  lecturers, for
example."
Brian Fernandez
Fifth-year
Microbiology and molecular genetics
"I think teaching makes your research better and I think
research makes your teaching better. You have to do both. Granted,
it is hard to balance the two because there are a lot of things to
juggle within each, but if you work at it, you can definitely
balance them."
Traci Mann
Assistant professor
Psychology
"I haven’t noticed any problems between research and teaching
yet. The word ‘research’ hasn’t even been mentioned in most of my
classes. But in one, my anthropology class, I think the teacher’s
research helps give her a much better background which, in turn,
better helps the students visualize what the subject is all
about."
Edgar Martinez
First-year
Mathematics
"Research is important here. I don’t think you can have someone
teaching at the level we want at UCLA without that person being
actively involved in research. But teaching is important here, too.
Most people take it very seriously. At the other universities I was
at before UCLA, teaching was not nearly as important in
promotions."
Stanley Osher
Professor
Mathematics
"In the classes I’ve taken, the teachers have been pretty
passionate about both teaching and research. When my professors
have tried to introduce their research into the class, I think it
has always enriched the course."
Maggie So
Second-year
Undeclared
"There are exceptions, but I think teachers here are more
focused on taking care of their research rather than taking care of
students’ needs. Research is their life. There’s not much closeness
between students and teachers, especially in the huge classes. The
TA’s do all the work so the profs can do their research."
Daniel Soh
Fifth-year
Microbiology and molecular genetics
Comments, feedback, problems?
© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board
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© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]