Graduate students focus the majority of their time honing their research skills and knowledge in a very narrow area of expertise. They are sent off to post-doctoral positions where they continue to grow as scholars and scientific investigators. The goal is to prepare them for tenure-track faculty positions at research universities. Often, the only teaching experience they have had is as a Teaching Assistant in a teaching laboratory, or leading a weekly discussion/recitation section where they answer student questions and help with some problem solving. However, the expectations of when they start their academic careers can be to teach large enrollment classes. A few years ago our department developed a teaching fellowship for postdoctoral researchers where they are given the opportunity to teach large enrollment classes on a more substantial level, the Burg Fellowship. They teach about a third of the lectures during the semester, prepare exams, aid in grading and hold office hours. They are assigned a faculty mentor who has years of experience teaching the classes and provides constructive feedback throughout the semester. Last year the Burg Fellowship program was expanded to include motivated graduate students. This program works as an internship, and is an important experience to complete the training of our future faculty. This talk will discuss the evolution and success of the Burg Fellowship program, particularly the participation of graduate students.

But can they teach?

251st National Meeting (2016)

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