“My general approach is to teach something I would have enjoyed learning when I was still taking classes,” said Professor Mark Nitz. “This means giving the logical context of the experiments, which then frames the story of the discovery.”
Nitz was responding to questions about being named the Chair’s Distinguished Teaching Award Recipient for 2025.
Though Prof. Nitz was unable to attend Chemistry's May 27th Awards Ceremony in person, Department Chair Mark Lautens praised his teaching at the event, speaking to a packed gathering of faculty, staff and students of glowing feedback from two recent classes, CHM479 and CHM136. The student comments expressed appreciation of Nitz's ability to tell a story while backing it up with clear lecture materials and slides, Lautens said, while other comments celebrated his ability to demonstrate the broad applicability of specific chemistry techniques.
Lautens also thanked the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Andy Dicks, and the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, Professor Mark Taylor, for their role in the selection process.
Prof. Nitz grew up in Prince Rupert, B.C. and completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia. After earning his PhD at the University of Alberta, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at MIT. He was appointed to the University of Toronto Department of Chemistry in 2004 and promoted to full professor in 2014.
“I try and focus on concepts in my classes rather than facts,” he said. “In first year, it's about trying to teach concepts that will carry forward into upper year courses without making them too complicated.”
And once students have reached those upper years? "I have moved toward open book assessments in my fourth-year class.”
Nitz said that receiving the Chair's Distinguished Teaching Award felt like a recognition of his track record as an educator. “It’s nice to have this acknowledged.”
"Mark is the perfect example of a thoughtful and professional educator," agreed Andy Dicks. "He is wholly committed to providing a positive learning environment for all his students, both inside and outside the classroom."