University of Canterbury biochemist Associate Professor Emily Parker has been recognised as one of the country's top tertiary teachers. The chemistry teacher was one of 11 teachers awarded a Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award during a ceremony held in July 2010. The award includes $20,000 in prize money to be used for career development and to promote best practice.
A passion for the exquisite detail of the world of atoms, molecules and chemical transformations informs Emily’s teaching. She feels privileged to share her excitement with students by providing this world with meaning, context and relevance. She brings her own research into the classroom to illustrate the excitement of new knowledge and to open a window to an exciting world beyond the undergraduate degree. She stimulates students to feel comfortable asking questions and to grow in independence.
Her student-centred teaching philosophy underpins her interactive teaching. A colleague comments: "teaching is a dialogue between Emily and the students".
First years benefit from practical demonstrations and links to the familiar. One wrote, "You rocked. I loved your experiments, enthusiasm and attitude". Laboratory courses incorporate self-directed learning. Advanced students become her partners in conducting and presenting research. She inspires them with her energy and enthusiasm while developing their skills. Another student wrote, "Emily taught me the principles behind being a successful scientist, she also instilled in me the confidence and belief that I could achieve whatever I set my mind to".
