2022 St. Ignatius Award
Dr. Pine teaches a variety of chemistry classes ranging from General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry to various 300-level Biochemistry classes. In addition to her major academic responsibility, she mentors undergraduate students and performs pedagogical research that she publishes in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Pine’s research interests include Molecular Dynamic Simulations of Biochemical Systems; nano devices based on Carbon Nanotubes as well as pedagogical approaches, which she applies to improve students’ learning in her classes. One of Dr. Pine’s research projects was recognized by Ignatian Pedagogy Research Grant.
Dr. Pine holds Teaching Certificate from Northwestern University Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, and Ignatian Pedagogy Certificate from Loyola University Chicago. She believes that education is more than just knowing or learning a certain subject or attaining a certain skill. She reflects on this in following words: “We, as Jesuit educators, provide our students a unique integrative experience in science, ethics and humanities developing a student as a whole person, a person for others. It is hard to achieve it outside of the educational environment. It is interesting to see how the values of Jesuit Pedagogy developed hundreds of years ago are even more relevant, important, and applicable now, especially during these uncertain times. Any success of our students is a combination of the hard work and collegiality of all my colleagues. As a chemist, I may compare each member of Loyola community including myself as an individual water molecule and Loyola community as all molecules together in a liquid state interacting with each other through intermolecular forces. As a bulk water together, we can break down a mountain passing light, kindness, justice, and hope to our students.”
From one of the students nominated Dr. Pine:
“Dr. Pine’s course did more than enrich me with knowledge in the field of biochemistry, it carried me in my studies for the MCAT and continues to have relevance in day-to-day experiences I have. She changed my outlook and opened my eyes to the applicability of what I'm learning to medicine, more efficient study strategies, and a more enthusiastic approach to learning and engaging in class. Besides giving us the platform to succeed under the difficult circumstances brought on by quarantine, Dr. Pine served as an inspiration to me in who she is as a person. From the way she vocalized challenges she faced in the past, to the way she empathized with each student, to the way she encouraged us when material became difficult, she represents the type of person I want to be as an aspiring physician, a person that represents hope and a person with tireless ambition towards helping people.”
Anonymous note from one of class evaluations:
“Dr. Pine is amazing. I cannot explain how understanding and helpful she is. She always listened to her students and always was thoughtful. She tried to relate the class to medicine since she knew that the majority of the class was pre-med and pre-dental. The class was based on the application of the material discussed in lectures. She really wants her students to succeed in her class and in life too. She wanted them to reach their goals and tried to make the class atmosphere comfortable for everyone. I’ve never felt uncomfortable in approaching her about everything as she was willing to understand and not judge. She has a strong believe that her students will lead an extra ordinary lives. She was always proud of every single one of us and she appreciated all the hard work we put in. She was very thoughtful in all her discussion meetings. Dr. Pine is the mother I’ve never had.”