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Outstanding Teacher: Judi Kusnick

Judi Kusnick

For Judi Kusnick, professor of geology, her profession is a seamless blend of the inquiring mind of a scientist mixed with the patience and persistence of a teacher. She has made a calling out of teaching to others a subject that she loves.

Kusnick received the Outstanding Teaching Award for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics for 2005-06 last spring. The award program is designed to recognize excellence in teaching.

Her interest in geology began during her undergraduate days at Wellesley College. “I had a fantastic teacher in one of my first classes in college who really got me excited about science,” Kusnick said. “I saw geology as this new territory for me to explore. And I’m glad that I did. It helped me get excited about teaching.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in geology from Wellesley, Kusnick made her way out West to attend graduate school at UC Davis, where she went on to earn her master’s degree in geology and later a doctorate degree in education.

Kusnick’s background in science and education allows her to reach more than just her geology students at Sacramento State. Kusnick also works closely with Sacramento State’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education, which helps local teachers do a better job of teaching science.

“It is important to start very early in preparing students to appreciate and not fear science,” said Kusnick.

In one of the project’s programs called “Science in the River City,” Kusnick and other faculty work with teachers from schools in the Sacramento region to improve teaching in K-12 classrooms. Workshops range from topics such as “Water in the Body” for K-3 teachers to “The Sacramento: River of Life” for high school teachers.

Kusnick leads sessions with local teachers to help them with geology and earth sciences, subjects which have the potential to capture children’s interest. She works with fourth and fifth grade teachers on topics such as weather and erosion. With high school teachers, Kusnick helps them look at new ways of teaching subjects such as plate tectonics and the circulation of the atmosphere and oceans.

“I try to get the teachers to look at their teaching from the perspective of their students,” Kusnick said. “Once you keep the attention of young people with good teaching, you’ll get students who will want to learn a lot more about science.”