Undergrads who are fortunate enough to take Courey’s tough but memorable 153B biochemistry lecture class always recall one particular assignment — writing a biochemistry-themed poem. It culminates when their teacher shares in class the hilarious and inventive limericks, haikus, sonnets and parodies students compose. (Courey has also been known to break out in a solo rendition of “Oklahoma,” sung with new lyrics about DNA.)

 

This playful sense of humor and ability to inspire student learning (and YouTube performances) with his untraditional ways is one reason why many students regard Courey as a “once-in-a-lifetime teacher,” said former student Dennis Kuo, who performed his rap song, “Rhyme of the Ribozyme,” in class with Courey. “It helped ease the tension among the students by making the subject less intimidating,” Kuo recalled.

 

Courey’s success at transferring his passion for science to students regularly wins him outstanding course evaluations and admirers among former students who are now faculty.

 

“In my opinion, Dr. Courey is the single best teacher that I know of from my experiences at UCLA, Columbia, the National Institutes of Health and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories,” said Songtao Jia, now an assistant professor at Columbia University. “He is a role model for me as faculty.” Guillaume Chanfreau, a UCLA biochemistry colleague who nominated Courey for the Distinguished Teaching Award, agreed: “I do not know of a better teacher than Al, and he has been a role model for all of us in our efforts to provide the very best in teaching for undergraduate and graduate students at UCLA.”

 

Graduate students have also benefited from his work. The most valuable class they have ever taken, say many of them, is a small four-module class Courey conceived of when he spearheaded the revision of the teaching curriculum for first-year graduate students. “Al’s influence has profoundly marked the education of a generation of graduate students through his involvement in the evolution of our curriculum,” Chanfreau said.

 

Whether it’s using computer-based 3-D models to help students visualize protein structures or highlighting primary research literature in his undergraduate curriculum, Courey tries to inspire passionate enthusiasm in his students. “I want my students to love coming to class,” he said. “No matter how many times I’ve taught a course, I carefully rethink it each time, searching for new ways to make the course material come alive.”

 

To keep his students excited about learning, Courey said he makes sure that each day’s class covers “at least one concept or discovery that I personally find to be of profound significance. When I am conveying something that I find to be a revelation, I have a good chance of passing that enthusiasm on to my students.”

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