I've been working at the University of Alberta for over 30 years. (If you count working as a research assistant and teaching assistant, it's actually over 37 years!) Every year, the University celebrates those employees who have put in at least 25 years of service in 5-year increments. At this year's ceremony, there was one person who has been working here for 50 years. Unbelievable!
If you look back at my blog, though, you won't see me describing my 25-year work anniversary 5 years ago. Because, um, they forgot. I've moved through so many roles over time, there's no way for the computer system to track me. So at least I was celebrated for 30 years--and I got two gifts to recognize and reward my many years of service! One of the gifts is a...water bottle. (I guess they figure we get thirsty after so many years of work.)
Different Roles
I worked as a professional computer programmer starting in 1987, helping a then-graduate student who needed computers to run experiments for her research. She paid me out of pocket, so I guess that does not count as working for the University. A short time later, though, I was hired as an actual RA to continue in that role. This led me into doing research of my own as an undergraduate, and then starting in 1990, as a grad student myself. I worked as a TA and as occasional RA here and there.
When I graduated with my PhD in 1995, I was immediately thrust into the role of non-academic staff, taking over for the Department of Psychology undergraduate program advisor who went on holidays and never came back. I juggled that role, in addition to teaching at the U of A, Grant MacEwan Community College (now MacEwan University), and Augustana University College (now U of A Augustana Campus). I became a Faculty Lecturer at the U of A in 2000, and am now a Full Teaching Professor. I also worked as a consultant for over 20 years for Nelson Education Ltd. and Cengage Canada.
I've taught courses in the majority of buildings on campus--even some that no longer exist. (RIP, Dentistry-Pharmacy, V-Wing, and Physics Buildings.) I've taught 3-hour courses that ran only on Saturday, or only on Sunday. I've taught evening classes, and one (only one) course that started at 7:00am. (It was supposed to be for people who had jobs that started at 8:30, but it was actually just made up of students who couldn't get into other sections offered at more reasonable hours.) Teaching at Augustana in winter term was particularly brutal. My class was at 8:00am, so I had to be on the road by 6:30 to make it in time--6:00 if the weather was bad, which it often was. One memorable day there was freezing rain; I remember passing by a semi that was literally upside-down in a field.
Tallies
- 3: number of different institutions taught at
- 11: number of different courses taught or co-taught
- 240: number of course sections taught
- 1,350 (approximate): number of term papers marked
- 25,000-30,000 (approximate): number of students taught (this may double- or even sextuple-count those poor souls who have taken several of my courses)
Awards
- William Hardy Alexander Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, 2020
- Instructor of the month, Faculty of Science, March, 2017
- Kathleen W. Klawe Prize for Excellence in Teaching of Large Classes, 2014
- Instructors of Distinction Honour Roll, Faculty of Science, 2013, 2014
- Interdepartmental Science Students’ Society Instructor Appreciation award 2013, 2015, 2016
- “Celebrated” for teaching by AASUA, 2007
- Teacher Excellence Award from Delta Chi fraternity, 2003
- Department of Psychology Teaching Award, 2002
- Department of Psychology Teaching Honour Roll (20 times)
- Teaching Honour Roll with Distinction (144 times; sadly, the Honour Roll has been on pause since 2018)
I've sat on more committees than I can count, and worked alongside some really great colleagues. I don't have any memories of people who were jerks or selfish or anything. (Maybe those kinds of people are not the types to volunteer to sit on committees. Apparently, these people do exist.)
Okay, I've got to get back to marking term papers now...
Why aren't you studying?
