HIGHLIGHTS
A PUBLICATION FOR OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
Summer/Fall 2000
Animal Science Teaching Excellence Recognized for the Third Successive Year
 Professor Tom Adams
was this year's recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award from
the campus division of the UC Davis Academic Senate.Students
say that watching Tom teach his flagship course, Physiology of the
Endocrine Glands, is like watching an octopus draw impeccable
diagrams with different-colored chalks in each of his eight hands. During
his 19 years as a UC Davis faculty member, Tom has gained a
reputation not only for colorful and meticulous chalkboard
illustrations but also for his patient explanations, helpful and
caring attitude and enthusiasm for his subject matter. One
student recalls that her academic and career plans were quite set in
stone until she enrolled in Adams' course on the physiology of the
endocrine glands. "My future plans changed the day I set foot
into his class. I became |
| addicted
to the physiologic relevance and excitement of endocrinology and
have since committed my doctoral research to the study of
reproductive physiology," she said. Tom teaches courses in
reproductive physiology to students interested in a variety of
fields including animal production, medicine and veterinary
medicine. His teaching is enhanced by his research program, which
focuses on reproductive issues of livestock. He is known for
mentoring his own graduate students and postdoctoral researchers as
well as for offering assistance to undergraduates and graduate
students from other disciplines. Asked for an example of good
teaching, one graduate student simply said, "Spend one hour in
a class taught by Professor Tom Adams. He defines teaching at its
best." Animal Science apparently has several of the best, as Ed DePeters received this award in 1998 and Tom Famula won it in 1999. No other department on campus has won this award three successive times. Continued recognition of teaching excellence in Animal Science reflects a departmental culture where students matter and high-quality teaching is valued. |
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