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2006-07 Outstanding Teaching Award Susanne Lindgren

Susanne Lindgren

Biology professor Susanne Lindgren says she loves being in the classroom for the “ah ha” moments, when the students get what she’s teaching.

But there’s one part of teaching she said she could do without.

“I really dislike grading papers,” she says. “And, it helps that I finally ‘fessed’ that up to myself.”

Her students probably feel the same way about taking tests, and while Lindgren, a 2007 Outstanding Teacher of the Year winner, can’t do anything about eliminating tests, she does what she can to make learning fun for her students.

“It’s easy to make biology interesting,” she says. “You just tie it to the world around you.”

The trick, she says, is to relate biology to everyday occurrences so that students can better relate to the information presented in class.

“Why does oil in salad dressing not mix with water? Why are dishes that sit in water overnight easier to clean? Those are silly things, but it helps the light bulb come on for many students. That is the best part about teaching,” she says.

Lindgren, who has been a biology professor at the University for 10 years, teaches everything from introductory biology to medical mycology, the study of fungi.

“I really enjoy teaching. It only takes a moment in the classroom and I’m excited and motivated,” she says.

Her academic specialty is the study of infectious disease, and she says Sacramento State is one of the best places to not only teach, but to learn about these diseases.

“We have a very diverse student body with students from many different countries, so when I discuss something like cholera, often times students can relate because they have first-hand knowledge of it,” she says “They share their stories with me, and I share those stories with my other students to help solidify some of the concepts I’m teaching.”