Chemistry Chapter awards Teacher and Assistant of the Year
The Chemistry Chapter has awarded its annual Teacher of the Year and Student Assistant of the Year prizes during the Berzelii event. Teacher John Löfblom was awarded Teacher of the Year and student assistants Jenny Sjöström and Antonia von Schreeb were awarded Assistant of the Year.
Every year, the Study Environment Committee at KTH's Chemistry Chapter awards the Teacher of the Year and the Assistant of
the Year prizes on behalf of the Chapter.
"The purpose of the awards is to recognise good efforts for the study environment and teaching. ‘The Assistant of the Year can be either a student or a doctoral student, but must be a laboratory or exercise assistant in a course given by CBH. The Teacher of the Year must be a teacher in a course given to one of the programmes linked to the Chemistry Chapter," says Hanna Kastengren, chair of the Chemistry Chapter's Study Environment Committee.
‘Presence and responsiveness’
This year, student assistants Antonia von Schreeb and Jenny Sjöström are being awarded the Assistant of the Year prize for their work in the course ‘Chemistry of Biofibres’. They receive the award for having transformed a complex lab course into an inspiring and playful learning environment. Their presence and responsiveness have created a sense of security and given students the chance to think creatively to solve complex problems.
"We are delighted to receive this award because we find it so enjoyable and rewarding to meet students. For us, it's crucial that they have fun in the lab and feel confident enough to make their own decisions. We want to inspire and support them so that they get the most out of their education," says Antonia von Schreeb.
‘Creates an inclusive environment’
Teacher of the Year John Löfblom is rewarded for his efforts as programme manager and teacher of the course ‘Analysis of Biomolecules’. According to the citation, he has the ability to make difficult concepts understandable and complicated methods seem easy. He creates an inclusive environment, is fair and cares deeply about his students.
"I am very honoured to receive this award. For me, teaching is largely about supporting students' learning by arousing curiosity, encouraging independent thinking and creating an open climate for questions and discussion. The fact that students appreciate the work you put in is the best recognition you can get," says John Löfblom.
The prize is traditionally awarded during the final session of the three-day Berzelii event. Berzelii is organised by the chapter every spring as a tribute to the chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius, and students from Norway and Finland are invited to attend.
Text: Sabina Fabrizi