Doerrer Honored for Excellence in Teaching

"I can chat with her about anything," said Louisa Morrison, BC'04, of Assistant Professor of Chemistry Linda Doerrer, "whether it's chemistry or Harry Potter."

Doerrer recently received commendation for her ability to connect with students on academic and non-academic levels, becoming this year's Emily Gregory Award recipient. Doerrer received the award for outstanding achievement in and out of the classroom, April 10.

"I had read about the Emily Gregory Awards before this year," said Abigail Smenton, BC '03, who wrote an essay to nominate Doerrer for the award, "but I'd never really had a teacher I wanted to recommend."

The award is named for Barnard Professor of Botany Emily Gregory, who taught at Barnard from 1890 to 1897 and became the first female recipient of the rank of full professor in Columbia University history.

More than 100 years later, Doerrer teaches Inorganic Chemistry and Quantative and Instrumental Techniques Laboratory to both Columbia and Barnard students.

Students who have worked with Doerrer have nothing but praise for her.

Sahar Saddoughi, BC ë03, who along with Smenton and three other students helps Doerrer with research, stressed that "[Professor Doerrer] has always taken the time to get to know her students as a whole. She's definitely helped me become more passionate about chemistry."

"I can chat with [Professor Linda Doerrer] about anything," Louisa Morrison, "whether it's chemistry or Harry Potter."

Doerrer praises her students with the same enthusiasm they exhibit toward her.

"One of the absolute luxuries of being at a place like Barnard," Doerrer said, "is that the students are all self-motivated, whether it's in the classroom or in research."

Doerrer came to Barnard in 1999. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in 1991 with a B.S. in chemistry, earned her Ph.D from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1996, and was awarded a National Science Foundation post-doctoral fellowship soon after.

Doerrer's explanation of why she came to Barnard is straightforward: "Barnard had a position open the year I was applying to schools. It came partly down to geography and partly to the caliber of Barnard."

Doerrer's dedication to teaching also played a part in bringing her to Barnard.

"What I was interested in," said Doerrer, "was a four-year, liberal arts school at which I would be carrying out a research program. I deliberately did not apply to four-year doctoral institutions because I wanted a different balance of teaching and research than is available there."

Although these interests made Barnard an appropriate choice for Doerrer, she was less concerned with one of Barnard's more defining characteristics.

"I didn't set out to work at a women's college," Doerrer said, "though I have no objections doing it. But it wasn't something I had in mind."

Yet Barnard has heightened Doerrer's awareness of gender issues in the sciences.

"I find that I have enjoyed [teaching at Barnard] because there are still a lot of gender-related issues in science and education," she explained. "I think there's still a need and a demand for four-year schools just for women."

Doerrer explained this need through her own observations: "There is a different dynamic in all-women's classes than in coed classes. During the last two years I've taught inorganic chemistry, I've noticed there is an occasional reluctance of women to put themselves forward in the presence of their male peers."

"But," Doerrer added, "I think the gender-related issues in science come in [the form of] the biases that people bring to their study about whether or not they can do it [or] should do it."

According to Smenton, Doerrer encourages students to feel at ease pursuing their own interests by being supportive regarding labs and exams.

"For our first exam, the mean score was really low," Smenton said, "but [Doerrer] was really supportive, saying things like ëHow can I help you on the next exam?'"

Similarly, Morrison said when she was flummoxed by a laboratory report due the next day, she "e-mailed [Doerrer] at 11:00 [p.m.] and got help," adding, "[With Professor Doerrer I] feel comfortable doing things like that."

"I wasn't that sure about my chemistry [skills]," Smenton said, "and [Doerrer] has really helped me gain confidence."