Kay Azumi

Student

“There are a lot of good things about the Science Village. It’s a good environment but I’ll admit I can’t wait until our new building goes up.”

Kay Azumi wants people to know that the study of science need not be intimidating. “Students need to know themselves well and see a counselor about the science courses they’ll need,” she says. “Anyone can make it: people with no background or those who’ve been away from studying for a while. The important thing is to go slow and easy and to seek advice along the way. Too many students set themselves up by taking anatomy, physiology, and chemistry all at once,” she says. “Then they don’t do well in any of them, and they drop out feeling that they can’t do science. But if you go slowly—one class at a time—you’ll find a way to succeed.”

Kay feels that science has enormous relevance in day to day life, and one way she points this out is by tying her classroom work to current events. “We were starting Biology 25 this summer when the O.J. freeway incident happened,” she explains. “So I used that as a way of introducing issues of blood, immunology, and DNA testing. I think if students can identify science with what’s going on in the world, they really enjoy it much more.”

After her first year at SMC, Kay reports very favorably on her experience in the science department. “We have an excellent department,” she says. “I get such good cooperation, and I’ve gotten to know some great people here very quickly.” But becoming a teacher has meant shifting her priorities slightly. “I was doing post-doctoral studies in physiology at USC when I got my first teaching job,” says Kay. “But if my schedule works out, I’ll still have time for research in the summers. Keeping up with the latest developments in science just means I’ll be bringing some of that urgency into the classroom.”

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