Recommendation Statement

Recommendation Statement

I came to know Dr. Curtis Musser whenI became the coordinator for the National Chemistry Olympiadfor the local California Los Padres (CALPACS) section in 1998. For the next 12 years that I was the coordinator, Curtis’ students participated in the Olympiad and that was my initial introduction to him. I really began to know him through the executive board of CALPACS. In 2003, I was the chair, and Curtis was the chair-elect. Since the chair-elect is the program chair for that year, he and I had close interactions. He, along with his wife, Karen and I became friends. At that time, Curtis was teaching at CateSchool in Carpinteria, and I visited him there and toured the campus.

I also spoke with his students during the Chemistry Olympiad, and his students raved about their teacher. Some teachers can develop close personal ties, but the rare teacher is the one who, in addition, can instill knowledge and understanding of the subject matter to his or her students. Such teachers are gifted teachers, and Curtis is one of these.

Three qualities about Curtis immediately come to mind. The first is his gentlenessand humilitythat result in making Curtis a very approachable person, as evidenced from letters from students, two of which are attached (from Gal and Jason). They use adjectives like "patient" and "always smiling". He never gives a hurried appearance. He has time for his students; anyone who talks with him will immediately sense that he cares. His eyes are focused on you and he is not distracted. He is a good listener; he doesn't monopolize the conversation. He listens carefully and with intent in understanding you; I immediately noticed this when conversing with him. Maggie a doctoral student in geology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale states, “Soon, I will be finishing up my Ph.D. in organic geochemistry, so I contacted Doc Muss to say thank you. He still remembered me after all that time, which is another reason he is an excellent teacher, because he still cares”. Although Curtis has a Ph.D. in chemistry, he never lets that become his authority or use that to gain respect.

His second quality is the respect that he has from students is gained and earned by his genuine love for them and his discipline. The merging of these is what makes Curtis such a great teacher.During the campus visit, it was evident that he knew not only his own students, but other students as well; he knew their backgrounds, their interests and concerns. Curtis loveschemistry and takes advantage of his background to convey this love. Students are quick to pick up on this, and his love of knowledge is contagious. Students notice when the teacher is simply teaching out of "having to do it", versus teaching because they are excited about the subject matter. As one student, Matt, put it, “[Dr. Musser] has developed a love for the science in me that I never knew existed”. He goes on to say that, “After two years with Dr. Musser, I must admit I am sad that I will not have him a third [course after Honors and AP Chemistry]. There simply aren't enough classes that he teaches!”

Finally, the thirdquality that Curtis has is innovative and effective teaching style. From the student letters, one sees that Curtis is not fixed on any one style. He attempts different pedagogical styles to fit the class dynamics due to the particular students that he has in his class. He teaches by having his students in a "U" arrangement, rather than the classical rows; in this way, students become the focal point of his teaching. He keeps them engaged by sometimes focusing on one topic for a time, such as the iron extraction experiment described by Jason. He nurtures his students by bringing his own personal background and experiences. He encourages women into the sciences, even though they have been told by others of the difficulties. Maggie wrote, “When it came time to apply to colleges and dream about majors, there were many people in my life who warned me how hard it would be for a woman in the sciences. Not Doc Muss. When I showed him my applications, he talked about which schools had the most interesting chemistry programs and encouraged me to participate in undergraduate research.”She goes on to say, “When I got to UCLA and had to buy my first lab coat and goggles, I was definitely anxious about the year to come. I didn't need to be. Doc Muss prepared us so well during our time in high school, my college lectures were merely review, no one ever explained subjects as clearly…I don't know if it is his goal as a high school teacher to prepare students for college, or to inspire them to enter the field of science, but he accomplished both.I was miles ahead of my (mostly male) classmates”. Gal response is similar to Maggie’s. He mentors students and challenges them,giving them assignments that they have to rise to. These letters from students are such positive assessment of his teaching. The fact that Jason noticed the subtle error in the subject SAT is a testament to his teaching effectiveness, not just memorization of facts and formulas, but truly embracing the basic fundamentals of the discipline.

As noted in his vitae, Curtis keeps current in his field by his involvement with summer courses and conferences. He is also active professionally. As mentioned, he is an active member of the executive board of CALPACS local section, and will again be serving as chair next year. His involvement with students extends into track and field, where he has served as coach and is a member of the USATF.

In summary, Curtis is a master teacher whose patient, nurturing love for his students and his innovative teaching style in chemistry merge to make him deserving of this teaching excellence award.

Nominator:

Allan Nishimura

Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
Kathleen Smith Chair of Natural and Behavioral Sciences

WestmontCollege

September 13, 2011