UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 14, Page 6
December 8, 1994
Professor relates fundamental principles to real life

     Years before Andrew Zydney earned his doctorate in chemical
engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he knew he
wanted to teach, and, immediately after his graduation in 1985, he
joined the University's chemical engineering faculty.
     Now an associate professor, the 1994 recipient of University's
excellence-in-teaching award recalled choosing Delaware because of the
excellent reputation of its chemical engineering department and its
geographical location.
     "It seemed to be ideally suited both professionally and
personally. I remember thinking at the time that it was a nice place
to raise a family and settle down."
     His wife, Laurel, who calls Texas home, agreed with her husband's
view that Delaware was centrally located on the East Coast. In
addition, it was situated about as far north as she was willing to go.
Her view, Zydney recalled, was that the state may be part of the
Northeast, but is culturally a bit different from its northern
neighbors and maintains some of the charm and leisurely pace of the
South.
     The focus of Zydney's research and teaching involves the
separation and purification of a wide range of materials and products.
For any commercial product-from petrochemicals to drugs and cosmetics
to food-the waste and byproducts must be controlled and then disposed
of in order to develop a cost-effective and environmentally safe
process.
     Zydney teaches his students the fundamental principles, and the
practical guidelines, required to develop real commercial processes
that can effectively separate and purify these different products.
     With the emphasis on biotechnology and environmental issues, one
wonders why Zydney didn't enter private industry, where demand for his
expertise is obviously great.
     "I love teaching," he said. "I really enjoy working with
students. I also love the immediate feedback that I receive in an
academic environment. It's very different than what is found in an
industrial position. I also have the ability to decide how much time I
will spend on whatever I'm doing."
     With two young children at home-Sarah, 8, and Adam, 5-the
flexibility to attend their school events and other family activities
also makes teaching attractive to Zydney.
     He said he also likes the interaction with students outside the
classroom. Much of this takes place when he responds to their
questions about solving problems he has presented in class.
     He admits that his demands are stringent and his assignments
challenging.
     "I set high goals and standards by assigning problems that I know
are difficult. Very few of my students are able to do the work without
assistance from me or a teaching assistant," he said. "They learn by
doing, and usually with guidance along the way. I take that role
seriously. So I am always available to give time to provide guidance
and direction. That, to me, is the most enjoyable part of teaching."
     Zydney said he particularly enjoys his job when students
recognize their errors, shift direction and become satisfied with
their own abilities. This often occurs when they discuss a problem and
suddenly, in the midst of the session, realize they have the ability
to solve the complicated question.
     Providing additional time responding to student needs demands a
tremendous commitment of time. But, Zydney said, he's not found a more
effective way to reach the same level of results.
     "My goal is not to make my life easy, but to teach my students as
effectively as I can," he said.
     As early as his days in high school, Zydney said he knew he
wanted to become a teacher. He also realized he had a talent when he
was able to help classmates understand scientific principles and solve
difficult class assignments.
     Often he would conduct review sessions prior to his high school
science classes and would tutor others.
     "I loved it," Zydney recalled. "I especially enjoyed seeing them
understand things that they didn't know before we started talking."
                                                         -Ed Okonowicz

This story is one of a series of articles featuring the 1994
recipients of the University's excellence-in-teaching and excellence-
in-advising awards.