“I came from a college and graduate school experience in Italy, where no one would ever question, or often even approach, the Instructor; no feedback was asked or given; no homework, no midterms; the interaction was limited to an hour-long oral final exam. The different teaching philosophy and style I immediately encountered here presented me with quite a cultural shock, and I soon realized that I had to learn a whole new skill set.”
Stefano Profumo is an Associate Professor in the Physics Department, as well as the Deputy Director of Theory at the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award after the 2013-2014 academic year.
Interview Questions
0:00 Introduction
0:18 What does your research focus on?
0:40 How does your research affect your teaching?
1:09 What kind of teaching training did you have prior to UCSC?
2:00 How do you implement group work in the classroom?
2:52 How you incorporate technology into the classroom?
4:48 How do you mentor students from culturally diverse backgrounds?
6:05 How can you help students become more comfortable in this education system?
7:13 Closing thoughts?
Course Materials
Physics 105: Mechanics
Physics 215: Intro to Non-Rel Quantum Mechanics
Teaching Statement
Stefano Profumo Teaching Statement
Contact Stefano Profumo
Website: http://scipp.ucsc.edu/~profumo/
Email: profumo@ucsc.edu
Phone: 1-831-459-3039
Office: Department of Physics, ISB 325