Each year I try to put together a “About Me” page or post for my new students to help get to know me a bit better. This year I figured I’d ask an AI (Microsoft Copilot in this case) the following prompt:
Imagine that you’re a new student at a University and you decide to interview one of your professors. What questions would you ask?
So without further ado, here’s the questions Copilot gave me, and my responses!
Can you tell me about your academic journey and what led you to specialize in this field?
My journey started in 2001, right after I graduated from High School. I had decided to get a few technical certifications over the summer (Microsoft Certified Professional and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Windows 2000). That fall I started as a second year student at The University of Akron and saw that they offered entry-level computing courses through their Workforce Development program. On a whim I emailed them asking if they needed instructors, and they did. That’s how I ended up becoming part-time faculty at The University of Akron at age 18. I taught on the weekends my entire time there as an undergrad.
When I finished my psychology degree at UA, I applied to several graduate programs and got a couple of offers. I had one that would have had me specializing in memory research, and the other specializing in Judgment and Decision Making. The latter sounded more interesting to me, so I jumped on it. And that’s how I got into my research area, eventually earning my PhD from The University of Toledo in 2009 in Experimental Psychology, with a concentration in Cognition and Judgment & Decision Making.
What inspired you to become a professor?
I like seeing people grow and succeed. You can do that as a teacher. I also like using my mind for my work, and getting a good mix of things to do during the day. Professors have 3 main jobs: Teaching, Scholarship, and Service. What you see in front of you in the classroom is only about 1/3rd of what we’re doing at any given time!
What are some of the most significant projects or research you have worked on?
Significant is a loaded term. Significant to me or to the world? In general I think everything I’ve worked on is significant in that it helped develop my skills and abilities.
How would you describe your teaching philosophy?
Probably “Conversational” is the best way to put it. I try to present material and engage my audience by asking them questions. It’s technically a mix of lecture and socratic style, with some activities peppered in. My belief is that you can look up material easily in the future, but if you can’t talk about it intelligently, there is no benefit to having it memorized.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Probably seeing that growth I mentioned earlier. I also find it energizing. Many times I’ll step into the classroom tired and leave after 50 or 75 minutes more energized and renewed. I hope the same for my students, but that doesn’t always seem to be the case. Maybe in time!
How do you engage students who might be struggling with the material?
Well, I practically beg them to come talk to me about it! I can usually offer additional insights, or offer other ways to think about the material. But if a student never talks to me about their struggles, it’s much harder to identify them and seek them out. If you’re concerned that you are falling behind – TALK TO YOUR PROFESSOR!
What are the key takeaways you hope students gain from this course?
Every one of our psychology courses at DSU strive to meet our Program Learning Outcomes, which broadly focus on 5 things: Content knowledge (e.g., do you know what the material is about), critical thinking (e.g., can you think through problems), interpersonal interactions (e.g., can you work with others), writing ability (e.g., can you communicate professionally), and professional development (e.g., do you continue learning past this class). That’s what I want students to take away from everything I teach, and it’s how I decide what activities and materials we use.
There are just some of the questions Copilot asked – it came up with 12-15 of them in total. But I think those give you a good idea of who I am. But if not, the following infographic may also help!
