Michael Downer, Ph.D.

To teach well, there is no substitute for the passion born from a life's devotion to advancing the frontiers of one's subject. But it takes more. With each class and each generation, one must find new ways to get inside students' heads, see with their eyes, learn their language, recreate their misconceptions, and relive the joy of discovery with them. There is no easy prescription for, nor measurement of, this process. That's what makes it difficult, fun and deeply rewarding.