Educational Interests of Christine Berven, Ph.D.

Since being a post-doctoral research associate, Prof. Berven has taken special interest in her students, both undergraduate and graduate, in lecture and in the research lab. She believes strongly that to train successful scientists, their education must include more than what is shown in lecture . As such, she has endeavored to include teaching the fundamentals of science . The commitment to combined teaching and research manifested itself in the advanced introduction to research laboratory courses she taught at Dartmouth College.

Since joining the faculty at the University of Idaho, she has been enjoying teaching Engineering Physics I, Introduction to Solid State Physics , Intoduction to Astronomy and the new Physics Departement core class Physics in Everyday LIfe. Prof. Berven participated in the Northwest Upward Bound Math and Science summer program at the University of Idaho as the Science Keynote Speaker. Dr. Berven has employed six graduate students and over ten undergraduates who have performed research, worked in the UI Micro and Nano Technology Cleanroom or set-up critical instrumentation. Four of the students were REU students and  two were Native American high school student from the HOIST program. 

Prof. Berven also has interests in astronomy.  As the professor of the Introduction to Astronomy course, she upgraded the UI Observatory facilities and hopes to institute public observing sessions in the near future.