Theoretical physicists around the world know NIU’s Stephen Martin as author of the “Supersymmetry Primer,” an introduction to an arcane area of science that seeks to fill in the missing pieces of the Standard Model of the universe, contemplating subatomic particles that have yet to be discovered.
Undergraduates in NIU’s Department of Physics are more likely to know him as the professor who teaches them about the far simpler (by comparison) topics of electricity and magnetism.
While far apart on the academic spectrum, those two groups share one thing in common – they both believe Martin is an outstanding teacher, and their accolades helped lead to his selection as one of NIU’s Presidential Teaching Professors for 2009.
“Dr. Martin has earned the respect of his colleagues and students by successfully and consistently teaching the most difficult courses in advanced physics with clarity and thoughtfulness,” says NIU colleague Gerald Blazey, a Distinguished Research Professor and a collaborator on the International Linear Collider Program operated by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Martin’s “Supersymmetry Primer,” Blazey says, has become the standard teaching tool in the field and has been cited more than 700 times by researchers in the area of high energy physics. Such expertise puts Martin in great demand as a lecturer across the United States and abroad, including at the International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.
Addressing such groups is an honor, says Martin, but he still enjoys the challenge of opening the eyes of undergraduates, recalling the days when he was on the other side of those lectures.
“I think much of my success as a teacher comes down to empathy,” he says. “Once upon a time I was a student and I remember that learning this stuff was hard. So I try to put myself in the shoes of the student and say, ‘What is the really confusing part?’ and try to work through that.”
To help his students grasp some of the most complex questions in science he often uses simple examples. Sometimes has students contemplate questions they might have first asked in kindergarten, such as “Why is the sky blue?”
Similarly, rather than rely upon flashy technology to teach his cutting edge topic, Martin is much more likely to spend lecture time at the front of class with chalk or marker in hand. As he lectures he dashes off equations, fielding questions on the fly, interjecting examples that illuminate the topic at hand.
“I think working at the blackboard forces me to move at an appropriate pace,” he says. “Students seem more inclined to ask questions, making me explore aspects I hadn’t considered. It allows me to adapt to the needs of the students. My lectures change in real time.”
Should those efforts not quite succeed in making a concept stick, students know that they can almost always find Martin in his office. Some have commented that they aren’t sure what his office hours are because he always seems to be around and available to help.
While some might marvel that one of the world’s leading theoretical physicists would devote so much time and energy to helping undergraduates work through the basics of the field, Martin says he finds the time spent teaching those topics to be energizing.
“Teaching the basics keeps me sharp,” he says. “There are always times in your research when you feel stuck. But I know that if I can go into the classroom and do a good job teaching I am earning my keep.”