Editor's note

The team of full-time teachers with foreign high-end talents has become a new force in our faculty!

In order to cultivate top students with solid and broad professional knowledge of natural science and materials, international competitiveness, strategic innovative thinking, independent scientific research capabilities and organizational leadership skills, in 2016, ISAM (International School of Advanced Materials) began English-teaching Innovation Class of Materials Science and Engineering (Bachelor-Master's and Bachelor-Doctorate programs). During the process, the School has set up a professional curriculum system in line with internationally renowned universities, used informational, networked teaching platform and hired foreign teachers for English-teaching courses. Whether it is in a laboratory with many instruments, in a classroom with a relaxed atmosphere, or in an ordinary corner on the campus, you can see our teachers communicate with students.

The introduction of foreign teachers enrich the classes at ISAM with different charms. At the same time, the teachers and students learn from each other at ISAM.

Love innovation. Destiny makes it so

“Right, that's it”.

By chance, Gary Histand and his wife Carla Histand from the United States, during a vacation to China, ended up as teachers at ISAM, the School of Materials Science and Engineering of South China University of Technology. Talking about the reasons for coming to China and staying at ISAM, Gary said that he loves innovation. When he discovers a new thing and grows with it, he feels right, that's it. Gary said the moment he chose ISAM, he was ready to take it seriously and take responsibility.

Gary participates in a teaching workshop with other foreign teachers

Since school's operation, people's living habits and other things in China are so much different from the United States, they found it very challenging in the beginning. But with the help of the faculty and staff at ISAM, they quickly adapted to the life at SCUT. Now Gary and Carla's favorite passtime is“chatting with friends while having morning tea". In daily life, Gary often attends teaching seminars, listens to the opinions of colleagues and does his part in the development of ISAM. For SCUT, ISAM in particular, Gary is also full of expectations. He said that from the perspective of academic research, SCUT boasts lots of opportunities. After achieving some results in his research, he is more determined to choose SCUT.

Trust prevails over fear

“We believe in the Chinese government. China's strength is always amazing. We will definitely be able to keep safe and sound during this special period in China!”

At the beginning of the year, the COVID-19 broke out in China and developed in a serious situation. In response, the US government chartered planes to evacuate overseas Americans. Gary and Carla, who had already booked the flight tickets back home in early February before the winter vacation, finally decided to stay in China. “The epidemic is grim. If we go back to the United States, we may not be able to return to China in a short time. That may affect our teaching duty of the next semester. And we believe in the Chinese government. China’s strength is always amazing. We will definitely be able to keep safe and sound in this special period in China!”The words full of determination and expectation by this couple in their mid fifties sounded very moving. Trust in China prevailed fear or loneliness. Fortunately, China never lets people down.

Gary said that it was noteworthy that China built a makeshift hospital with an accommodating capacity of hundreds of people in 10 days; national medical care resources were concentrated in Wuhan; a large number of companies converted production lines for protective equipment; almost all residents consciously isolated themselves at home and wore masks when they went out. All this was admirible.

During the outbreak of epidemic, Gary and Carla also confronted to the“stay at home” policy and minimized their outings.“Living on campus, we are contacted every week by the staff at ISAM, caring about our daily life and physical health and sending protective products such as masks and disinfectants. In the campus supermarket, we can buy daily necessities. Since the outbreak of epidemic, SCUT has taken active anti-epidemic measures, e.g. managing entrances on campus and taking body temperatures for those who enter the campus. These measures have made us feel safe on campus.”The couple is looking forward to seeing the lovely students again on the campus as soon as possible after the epidemic.

Be friends as well as teachers

" I am very proud  to see them go from immature to mature, and even become the backbone in the field.”

Gary is happy to invite freshmen to carry out scientific research together.“I am very proud to see them go from immature to mature, and even become the backbone in the  field.”More than three years after joining ISAM, Gary has achieved more than expected. He firmly believes that“the harder you work, the luckier you will get,”and“in this way, ISAM will enjoy a brilliant future!”

It is natural that English teaching can be difficult for some students. Therefore, apart from a chemitry teacher, Gary also tutor English once in a while. When teaching professional content, Gary will also answer students' questions in English learning.“English teaching has doubled the students’workload. I hope I can help them overcome some learning obstacles.”

Gary is an experienced teacher with 25 years of teaching experience in the United States, where his humorous teaching methods was popular among students. After coming to ISAM, due to the differences in cultural background, his previous tricks did not work for Chinese students. To get closer to students, Gary constantly adapts his teaching methods based on the actual conditions. He treats students as friends and teaches them in an informative but interesting way. Such an approachbble teacher becomes the muse for various emoticons made by the students.

Since this semester, affected by the epidemic, all courses have been changed to online teaching. Carla and Gary also use the online platforms for teaching. Gary overcame lots of difficulties to get familiar with the necessary functions of Tencent QQ, including voice conference, QQ classroom and screen sharing, for online teaching as these functions are only available in the regular Chinese version but not the international one. With the help of friends and ISAM staff, he gradually learned how to use the platform after many attempts. Now he is able to manage livestreaming  and answer questions by showing handmade tools.

Carla and Gary are teaching

In fact, this is not the first time Gary has struggled with Chinese. As early as two years ago, when he first received the task of chemistry experiment class, a lack of ready-made English experimental materials forced him to translate the Chinese handouts into English bit by bit with the help of Google translation. He joked that during this process, he learned a lot of Chinese. Now he can understand a little Chinese and is progressing. In the lab, he often stimulates the students’ interests in hands-on experiments with uses guidance and inspiration and let them find the charm of chemistry.

Students in the experimental classes

Love the present and look forward to the future

“As foreigners can participate in and witness such an important moment in China, we are very proud.”

On June 22, 2019, SCUT held a campus open day. Despite the scorching sun, Gary attended voluntarily and actively communicated with the senior high school students who came to consult. In an interview with the TV station, Gary said that all students are welcome to apply for SCUT and School of Materials Science and Engineering and encouraged them to challenge the English-teaching major. In order to vividly display the characteristics and style of the innovation class, Gary showed the students present with some well-prepared fun teaching tools.. He stayed till the end of the open day answering questions in the sun. Such an effort was much appreciated. Due to their outstanding contributions to education, in September, 2019, Gary and Carla were invited to the Reception for Foreign Experts Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China held in the Great Hall of the People. They took pride in as foreigners participating in and witnessing such an important moment of China, which encouraged them to continue to do their part in Chinese education.

Gary communicates with students on campus open day

Gary and Carla feel the hospitality from friends and students who always lend a helping hand when needed, e.g. ordering water delivery on WeChat. Life is full of flavors - sour and sweet, salty and spicy, just like the Chinese cuisines, such as  tomatoes with scrambled eggs, fresh coconut juice and sweet Cantonese-style mooncakes, that they have tasted. The friends they make in China, the unfamiliar they have experienced and the different tastes of life contribute to a deeper affection of them for this nation. In SCUT, one of China's top universities, excellent teaching resources, sufficient academic funding and a large number of scientific research opportunities have enabled teachers at home and abroad to quickly work on teaching and scientific research. Working in a future-proofing institution with energizing impetus,“I wake up every morning full of motivation. The future is really promising at ISAM, SCUT,”said Gary.

Gary and ISAM student take a group photo after class

Biography

Gary Histand

He received a master's degree and a doctor's degree from Northwestern University in 1986 and in 1989 respectively. He has a career in teaching in the United States for more than 20 years and currently teaches chemistry-related courses at International School of Advanced Materials. So far he has participated in the MOOCs of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry.

Carla Histand

She has four years of English teaching experience in South China University of Technology and South China Agricultural University. She has been teaching at ISAM for two years, focusing on oral English training, English salons and other activities. She is popular among students with her professional and interesting way of teaching. As a lecturer of the MOOC of“America / Western Music Culture", she actively shares her insights into college English curriculum reform.