The purpose of the academy is to pursue knowledge for the betterment of humankind. The purpose of a natural science is the pursuit of knowledge through empiricism. Taken together, as a teacher-scientist, I see my job as empirically evaluating and validating the transmission of knowledge from one generation to another and to the wider population. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (a Roman Catholic order of priests, whose primary purpose is education) stated that the principle, “Tantum Quantum,” which means one should use what works and discard what doesn’t work, should underly all teaching. This principle aligns with the pragmatic approach of behavior analysis. I have found the best way to accomplish this is to focus on shaping both my students’ “knowledge” of the material (verbal behavior) and their “application” of the material in their professional and everyday lives (nonverbal behavior). For example, I (a) set short-term and long-term goals for my students and revise these goals as necessary, (b) provide students with opportunities to read and interact with material through discussions and immediately relevant activities, (c) assess each student’s acquisition of the relevant verbal and nonverbal behavior, (d) provide both affirmative and corrective feedback on an ongoing basis. 

As a mentor, I utilize a junior colleague model. I also see my job as one of providing opportunities for students to develop in both their academic and professional lives. I strive to have at least one meeting per semester that is not directly related to courses or academic progress. First, I want to know each student’s overall academic and professional goals. This allows me to provide them with both resources and contacts in companies, organizations, and schools and information on the day-to -day requirements of work or subsequent academic study. Second, I want my students to have an opportunity to discuss how they are doing, overall, in meeting their academic and professional goals. This allows me to serve as a resource for helping them through any impediments to meeting these goals. When students are working with me on clinical or research projects, we have weekly lab meetings, during which I view my role as a facilitator and guide. I want my students to have the freedom to develop and discuss new ideas and solutions as equals while also being available to provide assistance and support as a senior colleague when they encounter difficulty. My final job as a mentor is to ignite an enthusiasm and passion in my students just as my mentors did with me.

In conclusion, as a teacher and scientist, I take my responsibility seriously when passing-on knowledge and skills to the next generation. Students have the opportunity to learn both conceptual and practical skills and how to integrate these skills into both their professional and personal lives. Finally, when students complete a course or program, they should leave with the confidence they have the skills to improve the lives of the people with whom they work.