Cal State Chemistry Professor Receives Golden Apple Award

Larry Mink, a professor of chemistry at Cal State San Bernardino, was lecturing his class on Principles of Chemical Reactions when a group of about 20 visitors burst into the lecture hall on the afternoon of Jan. 22, startling the veteran instructor and his nearly 70 students. “Hey, how are you doing?” said a beaming CSUSB President Tomás Morales, who led the group into the hall. “Do you know who I am?” A still surprised Mink said yes as the president walked down toward him, shook his hand and then faced the perplexed students. “It’s my pleasure to share with you that Larry Mink has been awarded this year’s Golden Apple Award, which is the highest teaching award that this university has — so let’s congratulate him,” said Morales in drawing the applause of Mink’s students and the congratulatory group made up of previous winners, faculty, administrators and friends who lined both sides of the lecture hall. When it was his turn to talk, a still surprised Mink said he was speechless. “This is the most flattering presentation I have seen,” Mink said. “It’s extremely meaningful and I guess what makes it so wonderful to see these faces. Thank you very much.” The president was continuing a tradition that had begun years ago to surprise Golden Apple recipients in front of their students and telling Mink of the award in front of his students seemed appropriate. In a letter to Morales, the Golden Apple nominating committee praised the chemistry professor who joined the university in 1992. “There were many excellent nominees, but Dr. Mink stands out due to his exceptional instruction and significant contributions related to teaching across the broader community,” wrote Amanda Wilcox-Herzog, chair of the Golden Apple Selection Committee and herself a winner of the award in 2011-2012. Mink had previously been nominated for the Golden Apple twice and was named Professor of the Week by the CSUSB Kappa Delta Sorority, Zeta Chapter. The committee cited the Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness ratings, or SOTE, by Mink’s students. His scores were consistently high, specifically in the categories of overall quality of instruction and the professor’s contributions to learning. “As Dr. Mink regularly teaches large classes, these high SOTE scores are surely testament to an extremely high quality level of instruction,” wrote Wilcox-Herzog. “Colleagues’ and students’ remarks regarding Dr. Mink’s teaching are representative of these high SOTE scores and indicate he is an extremely knowledgeable, approachable, efficient, engaging and caring professor.” One instructor who observed Mink in the classroom wrote, “Dr. Mink’s lecture style is effective in catching the students’ attention, keeping them engaged in the course material and presenting this complex course content material in a way that they are able to understand.” The student who nominated Mink for the award wrote that the professor has an incredible capacity for explaining difficult concepts in the simplest terms possible, and has a unique ability to make chemistry accessible and fun. “Dr. Mink makes learning chemistry fun, his lectures are efficient and to the point, separating core principles from details. He helped me and many others get through our requisite classes,” the student wrote. “I have a co-worker that thinks he is great and she took his class years ago. It shows that he has a record of continued excellence.” Mink has also worked with students to publish and/or present their work. Since 1995, Mink’s work with students has resulted in seven publications and more than 15 conference presentations. In addition, Mink has revised and created coursework in the chemistry department to provide students with the most up-to-date, accurate, and accessible information. He has created laboratory manuals and experiments designed to increase the accessibility of chemistry to his students, as well as the competitiveness and competence of students pursuing chemistry degrees. In one laboratory course, students performed nuclear magnetic resonance for the first time under Mink’s direction. Mink has taught a variety of chemistry courses that span a range of learner levels and degree requirements, including large lectures, small seminars and laboratory courses. In addition to teaching at the university, Mink has created and implemented chemistry lessons and activities in a variety of venues, including elementary schools, preschools and the San Bernardino County Museum. He also has spoken with middle school students about a career in chemistry. As a member of the board of directors and the chair of the Youth Commission at Congregation Emanu El, Mink has spearheaded many activities and programs for youth affiliated with the temple. Mink has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and a master’s degree and doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of California, Riverside. Prior to teaching at CSUSB, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arizona. Mink is a member of the American Chemical Society, and was treasurer of the San Gorgonio section of the ACS (1999-2000). The Golden Apple recipient will receive a $2,000 teaching grant and will be recognized at the end of the year faculty recognition luncheon.