Author Archives: Derek Smith

About Derek Smith

Former weather dude and scientific software developer. In the upcoming 2015-16 year I will complete my PhD at UCSB in nonlinear dispersive equations. I enjoy spending time with my two young daughters and running.

The Bore Method, or Challenging Students

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Derek Smith

by Derek Smith The other morning I took a break to make my news-browsing rounds and came across an interesting story on Longreads.com. (Warning: only visit that site if you have time to spare!) The article is an engrossing account … Continue reading →

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Cramming Techniques?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Derek Smith

by Derek Smith Qualifying exams (a.k.a. area exams) are now just two weeks away and I’m finding that each day brings a new wave of emotions. Some days I feel confident, others I am at a complete loss. I have … Continue reading →

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Teaching Evaluations

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Derek Smith

by Derek Smith With the Winter quarter ending in March, student teaching evaluations became available last week. I’m always excited to see the results of the comment section, but I’m beginning to realize that this excitement may just be an … Continue reading →

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Spaced Math Repetition Repetition

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Derek Smith

by Derek Smith I read an article a few weeks ago which reminded me to provide an update on my previous article on my spaced repetition experiment. The end of the quarter seems like a good time to review. The … Continue reading →

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LaTeX In Your Gmail Inbox

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Derek Smith

by Derek Smith I often find myself exchanging small snippets of LaTeX through email while working on problem sets. A few weeks ago I lamented the lack of typesetting within my mail client of choice, Gmail. A colleague tipped me … Continue reading →

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