“Teaching offers an immediate sense of satisfaction"

Can you remember your very first lecture? How did you experience it?

Of course! That was in Basel, and the lecture was on "Chemical Evolution." I was an assistant professor at the time, without any doctoral students of my own. But there were doctoral students from other groups in the lecture hall who raised a banner at the back of the room saying: Go Helma, go! That freaked me out at first, but it was great fun and did not affect the quality of the lecture.

Was teaching the reason for becoming a professor?

I became a professor because I am fascinated by research, to delve into the unknown. But I quickly learned to appreciate teaching. Research can require a long time for a breakthrough. Teaching offers an immediate sense of satisfaction. It's a great feeling when you realize that what you've explained resonates with the students.

Did you have any role models?

As an assistant professor, I taught the introductory organic chemistry lecture and was fortunate to have Prof. Maitland Jones, Jr. – from Princeton University, later New York University – as a visiting professor. Mait has written an excellent textbook and has a gift for teaching. As he didn’t speak German, he was not allowed to teach the entire class, but he substituted for one of my colleagues for two hours. This lecture was amazing! He "picked up" the students at their level of knowledge and guided them through the lecture. I try to structure my lectures similarly, placing particular emphasis on the understanding of important concepts.

Would you say that teaching has changed over time?

When I studied chemistry in Frankfurt, the philosophy of the Organic Professor was: "What is written in textbooks is trivial and should not be taught in class." I don't share this opinion. The purpose of a lecture is to make the material digestible, to accentuate important aspects, and to illustrate connections. I am a fan of the blackboard, in particular for introductory lectures, even if many people regard writing on the blackboard as a “Dinosaur method” (laughs).

Why? What can the blackboard do that slides can't?

Writing on the board adjusts my speed to the students’ speed. It also allows me to develop a thought over the course of the lecture. This process extends literally from the top left of the board to the bottom right of the board. The board allows me to come back to what I have explained before and illustrate the connections. Teaching is about concepts, not about stubbornly memorizing, and the concepts become clearer on the blackboard than on PowerPoint slides. The latter are, however, along with textbooks or other resources, useful for internalizing the material after the lecture.

Now, you have been awarded the Golden Owl. What was your first thought when you heard about the award?

Great joy! I care for teaching, and it means a lot to me that the students honor this dedication. I can see from the students' reactions during and after the lesson that my lectures are appreciated. The Golden Owl is the icing on the cake.

What would you say characterizes your lectures?

My lectures are interactive. I encourage the students to think for themselves, for example, by asking a lot of questions. And actually – this may sound a bit wild – I am often happy when the answer is not correct. In this case, many students have usually not yet considered an important aspect. Their reasoning gives me the opportunity to make them aware of this aspect and to continue the train of thought. Once you have understood the basic concepts, organic chemistry is like playing with molecules.

But with so many lectures, things don't always run smoothly, I assume …

True. Well, in the heat of the moment, it can happen that something is forgotten on the blackboard, for example, a charge on a molecule. While writing on the board, one has to think, write, speak, and keep the next point in mind simultaneously. It's great when the students notice this mistake before I do. It gives me the opportunity – with a twinkle in the eye – to remark that it was just a check to see whether everyone was paying attention.

What is your advice in such situations?

Don't let yourself get upset and maintain a sense of humor.

What other advice would you give prospective teachers?

As with everything in life, enjoy what you do. Furthermore, it is important to have a central theme for each class, to know the students’ level of knowledge, to know exactly what the important "lessons learned" are, and then to transmit enthusiasm. Also, similar to research talks, it is great to have an interested audience. My motto is to enjoy this time together. Sharing knowledge is a privilege and fun.

Any anecdotes from your lectures?

(Laughs) Sure, there are many. One that I, my teaching assistants, and all students will never forget happened in the OCI class on October 6, 2021. The topic of the lecture was imines and enamines. During this lecture, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was announced: Benjamin List and David MacMillan were honored for the development of "Asymmetric Organocatalysis" – work in which imines and enamines play a central role and which are also important for the research of my group. I know both colleagues well; thus, there was a spontaneous intermezzo, including anecdotes about Ben and Dave. I think the students enjoyed this human side of science.

How would you describe the teaching at ETH and D-CHAB? Any wishes for the future?

The education our students receive at ETH is excellent. In particular, it is the interplay between lectures and practical courses that sets our education apart from that at other universities. The theoretical knowledge is digested during the practical courses. In addition, the practical courses form friendships between the students that turn them into team players and often last a lifetime.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes, a big thank you to my teaching assistants and doctoral students/postdocs for their efforts in the lectures and exercises!