Justin Shmordok, recipient of the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student, 2022

Justin Shmordok, Chemistry

Justin Shmordok Image
Justin Shmordok, a PhD student in Chemistry, has been described as an enthusiastic and thoughtful developer of educational content.  He has been known to create an inviting and fun environment for students to develop their ideas, and has also been described as, “delicate in his pedagogical approach to answering questions.”  Justin has worked with many types of undergraduate students as a teaching assistant for many courses, served as a supervisor for 4th year research projects, and has supervised co-op students and volunteers in research laboratories.  Throughout these roles, he has thrived as a mentor through being patient with students’ academic development, while continuing to challenge them.  As one student notes, “Justin treats his students just as they are” to explain his capacity for treating students as both adults and young learners: “Justin finds that balance by validating our struggles, personally and academically, while still creating an environment where he challenges us to do our best.”

He has held a teaching assistant position for CHEM 250L, CHEM 212, and a graduate lab supervisor for CHEM 494 (a research project laboratory course).