Andres Durantini

Since I was a child, I grew up in a teaching environment; my mother is an Elementary School Principal and my father is a Professor of Chemistry. I could sense the dedication and passion that they had in their careers, which inspired me and paved the way to myself become a professor. Early in my education, I spent two years of middle school in Tempe, Arizona, where I had the opportunity to observe my teachers and their different philosophies and approaches to learning. Afterward, during my years in high school, college, and graduate school, I gradually gathered a collection of valuable and effective teaching practices from teachers, professors, and my parents. Today, I think about their teaching methods and assess which tools could enhance my knowledge to improve my profile as a professor. My experience has led me to construct a personal motto that is we build up knowledge together.
As a professor, I believe in a flexible manner of instruction, responsive to the unique atmosphere of a given class, and that replies to the interest of the students. In conducting either a large lecture or small seminar, I am aware of student’s different experiences and temperaments in hopes of developing their strengths while ameliorating their weaknesses. I begin with the belief that every student possesses unique capabilities that can be shared with others if given the appropriate support. I challenge my students to share opinions with and mentor one another. I encourage brainstorming sessions, group projects, and group presentations. The development of integrative and collaborative works that allow a complete interpretation of the acquired learning. I motivate my students to ask questions, and I am straightforward about not having all of the answers. When I become stuck, I seek the input of my colleagues, books, and the endless array of resources that can be found on the internet. When I next return to the classroom, I share not only the answer that I have found but also the process I went through to discover it. Above all else, I challenge my students to understand that I am open to their thoughts, eager to hear their opinions, and thrilled to learn with and through them. Chemistry is a problem-based discipline that requires students to learn how to use chemical concepts to solve problems. In this sense, I would like to give students the strength to understand the chemical properties underlying the experiments. To perform laboratory manipulations and record data based on knowing how an apparatus collect, process and works through obtain the corresponding values.
My desire to engage and inspire growth in my students is not limited to the lecture. As a researcher in the biochemistry field, I feel the need to communicate my knowledge and my own experiences to my students. I believe that a complete understanding of a research topic or line is reached when the other person can understand and perceive your passion. Over the period of time that I was a Teaching Assistant and also as an Assistant Professor, I worked with four undergraduates and three graduate students as a research mentor. My desire to collaborate with students translates into the research domain; several of my publications and work in progress are co-authored by undergraduates. Two of the undergraduates that I advised are now pursuing Ph.D. degrees under my guidance.