Student evaluation data is included here for the sake of transparency. Note, however, that research has shown that student evaluation scores are not generally correlated with teaching effectiveness (measured in various ways).
Some argue that student evaluations only reflect student satisfaction; while the use of "only" in that context is problematic, I personally value the student satisfaction that comes from a sense of accomplishment, a sense that everyone is treated fairly, and a sense that one has learned. I have yet to see a study that effectively separates these from satisfaction based on beliefs about the grade one is likely to receive (please share if you know of such a study).
Some resources:
American Association of University Professors (effectiveness)
The Chronicle of Higher Education (consequences)
UMich Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (recommendations on best practices)
It is also important to note that there is a substantial body of research pointing to bias in student evaluations. So, if you look at my evaluations, please remember that I am in the group (white, male, straight) least likely to suffer from negative bias. Here are some places to start if you'd like to know more about bias in such evaluations:
A tool so you can see for yourself
University of California, Davis
2024, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B
overall rating from students: 4.1/5 (standard deviation: 1.1)
2023, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.6/5 (standard deviation: 0.6)
Some hard-working students looking for symmetry...
This year's t-shirts...
2023, spring
Natural Products Chemistry, Chem 150
overall rating from students: 4.6/5 (standard deviation: 0.7)
2022, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5 (standard deviation: 0.4)
Dean's brain on symmetry...
this year's t-shirts...
2021, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.6/5 (standard deviation: 0.8)
let the craziness ensue...
this year's t-shirts...
2021, spring (remote)
Advanced Organic Synthesis, Chem 231B
overall rating from students: 5.0/5 (standard deviation: 0.0; 4/10 total students responding)
2020, fall (remote)
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5 (standard deviation: 0.5)
click on image for a highlight reel graciously donated by Garrett
this year's t-shirts...
2019, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5 (standard deviation: 0.6)
an awesome cartoon drawn by a student...
some awesome AV skills...
a tradition...
this year's t-shirts...
2019, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 4.8/5 (standard deviation: 0.4)
2018, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5 (standard deviation: 0.4)
a former CHE233 student describes the class: "like yoga for my brain"
this year's t-shirts...
2018, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 4.4/5 (standard deviation: 0.5)
2017, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5 (standard deviation: 0.6)
2017, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 3.3/5 (standard deviation: 1.3)
2016, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5 (standard deviation: 0.3)
2016, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 4.3/5 (standard deviation: 0.7)
Case Studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chem 130C (visiting speakers; simulcast between UCD and Quarter Abroad students in Taipei)
overall rating from students (at UCD): 4.8/5 (standard deviation: 0.4)
overall rating from students (Quarter Abroad): 4.3/5 (standard deviation: 0.7)
2015, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5 (standard deviation: 0.4)
2015, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 4.5/5 (standard deviation: 0.6)
Case Studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chem 130C (visiting speakers; simulcast between UCD and Quarter Abroad students in Taipei)
overall rating from students (at UCD): 4.1/5 (standard deviation: 0.7)
overall rating from students (Quarter Abroad): 4.5/5 (standard deviation: 0.6)
2014, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5 (standard deviation: 0.5)
2014, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
Case Studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chem 130C (visiting speakers; simulcast between UCD and Quarter Abroad students in Taipei)
2013, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
2013, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
2012, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
2012, spring
Theoretical Natural Products Chemistry – Structure Elucidation and Mechanisms of Formation, special topics mini-course at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, 130B, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
2011, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
Applied Theoretical Organic Chemistry, Chem 221C
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
2011, spring
Applying Quantum Mechanics to Problems in Organic and Bioorganic Structure and Reactivity, special topics mini-course at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Pharmaceutical Chemistry/Advanced Bioorganic Chemistry Lab, Chem 130A/130B/135, as part of UCD Pharmaceutical Chemistry Quarter Abroad program at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
2011, winter
Organic Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, Chem 118A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5
2010, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
Organic Chemistry, Chem 128A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5
2009, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
Organic Chemistry, Chem 128A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
2009, winter
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 1, Chem 130A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
Organic Chemistry, Chem 128A, instructor, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5
2008, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5
Organic Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, Chem 118A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5
2008, summer
The Chemistry of Life, UC Davis COSMOS, Cluster 8
2008, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
2007, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.95/5
2007, summer
Attraction and Repulsion: Molecular Insights into Materials that You Use and Pharmaceuticals that You Take, UC Davis COSMOS, Cluster 8
2007, spring
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2, Chem 130B, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.6/5
2007, winter
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 1, Chem 130A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5
2006, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
2005, fall
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.9/5
Organic Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, Chem 118A, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.5/5
this year we had some extra help with exam grading
2005, winter
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, instructor, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 5.0/5
look at all the happy students working on their problem set
2004, fall
Organic Chemistry, Chem 128A, instructor, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.8/5
Dean helping a student after lecture
2004, spring
Organic Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, Chem 118B, instructor, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.7/5
2004, winter
Physical Organic Chemistry, Chem 233, instructor, syllabus is available here
overall rating from students: 4.5/5
University of California, Los Angeles
2000, winter
Physical, Mechanistic, and Biological Organic Chemistry, Chem 243A, instructor, discussion leader
overall rating from students: 8.7/9
1999, fall
Problems in Advanced Organic Chemistry, Chem 249A, guest lecturer, teaching assistant on a volunteer basis
1999, spring
Symmetry and Science, Chem 98T, course designer, instructor, offered as part of the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows, syllabus is available here
1999, winter
Computational Organic Chemistry, Chem 245, laboratory/discussion leader
overall rating from students: 8.8/9
1998, fall
Physical, Mechanistic, and Biological Organic Chemistry, Chem 243A, discussion leader, guest lecturer
overall rating from students: 8.8/9
1998, summer
General Chemistry: Chemical Structure, Chem 20A, UCLA Mathematics and Science Scholars Program (MS2) Pre-Instruction in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), instructor
1997, fall
Physical, Mechanistic, and Biological Organic Chemistry, Chem 243A, discussion leader, guest lecturer
overall rating from students: 8.7/9
1996, spring
Honors Organic Chemistry, Chem 132CH, discussion leader, guest lecturer
1996, winter
Organic Chemistry, Chem 132B, discussion leader
overall rating from students: 7.8/9
1995, fall
Honors Organic Chemistry, Chem 132AH, discussion leader
overall rating from students: 8.5/9
Harvard University
1995, summer
Accelerated Organic Chemistry, Chem S-20, discussion leader
Other Institutions
2024, summer
Computer Aided Drug Design (short course for graduate students at Academia Sinica Taipei)
Awards
2016
Distinguished Teaching (Graduate) Award, Academic Senate, UC Davis
2011
Distinguished Teaching (Undergraduate) Award, Academic Senate, UC Davis
2000
Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award, Academic Senate Committee on Teaching, UCLA
1999
Chemistry and Biochemistry Departmental Prize for Distinguished Teaching, UCLA
1998
Chosen a member of the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows, UCLA
1996
Chemistry and Biochemistry Departmental Award for Distinguished Teaching, UCLA
Other Activities
2005-present
Advisor to Organic graduate students, UC Davis Department of Chemistry
2000
Informal Mechanism Sessions, taught priciples of organic reactivity to graduate students, UCLA
1998, spring
Venice High School Science Outreach Program, invited speaker
1996-1998
Tutor, Organic Chemistry
"It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done keeping things out."
C. S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters, 1960
"Some people aren't aware of what they are teaching. They should be wiser. Everybody teaches all the time."
George Lucas, The New Yorker, 1997
