Re: crummy students and crummy science teaching

["Dukelow, James S Jr" <jim.dukelow@pnl.gov>]

Ruth Weiner wrote:

I know I sound like an academic elitist snob, but just having "taken" a year
of chemistry or biology, etc, could mean a lot or a little.  What were her
grades in these classes (does Reed give grades?)  What were the
qualification s of her teachers?  In my decades of teaching I saw, believe
me, lots of crummy students and  fair amount of crummy science teaching.  I
am somewhat familiar with basic science teaching at a couple of
undergraduate programs similar to Reed, and the qualityt of physical science
teaching varies greatly.

	<snip>

Ernie Faillace pointed out to me that Catherine Warren's bio says that she
graduated from Reed with a BS in Physics.

The answers to some of Ruth's questions are as near as Reed's web site,
<www.reed.edu>.  Reed does give grades and their academic and, specifically,
Physics and Math programs appear sound, although that is harder to evaluate on
the evidence provided.  Reed's reputation is solid, as one of the better small,
liberal arts colleges in the nation.  As alluded to previously, the college
cares enough about their science program to maintain an operational research
reactor for more than 30 years.

Best regards.

Jim Dukelow
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, WA
jim.dukelow@pnl.gov

These comments are mine and have not been reviewed and/or approved by my
management or by the U.S. Department of Energy.
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