AMELIE SEDLACK / FEATURE EDITOR

Tammy Dwyer, PhD., has taught chemistry at USD since 1994. She has been a friendly face to students within the department. Dwyer recently announced that she plans to retire after this semester. Her journey to teaching is a story of determination, perseverance and love. From not knowing a female professor to leading her own lab and chairing two departments, Dwyer has shown that knowing what you want and working hard for it are the most important things. 

In her lab, Dwyer worked with many students that aided with research. Photo courtesy of @usdchembiochem/Instagram

Dwyer’s support started from a young age as her father noticed her interest in math. 

“I’ve  always  been  good at math and my parents, even though they didn’t go to college, especially my dad, really instilled a love of math for me,” Dwyer recalled. 

Dwyer shared some advice that she had heard early on in her career. 

“Find a mentor,” Dwyer said. “I have had so many mentors over the years that have helped me in so many different ways learn to be the best I can be and to support me through that. I mean from the beginning of my career I consider  my  faculty  at  [California  Polytechnic  State University, San Luis Obispo]   to  be  my  first  mentors.”

Dwyer continued, explaining how she felt without seeing any female representation within her field. 

“There was nothing called or labeled an ‘imposter syndrome’ when I was in school, but that sense of ‘do I belong here’ hit me early but I got through,” Dwyer continued. “I just felt like I was excelling in chemistry, my confidence grew and I had great people like him. I never had a female chemistry professor in my whole life, in my whole life, ever.”

After receiving her bachelor’s from California Polytechnic  State University, Dwyer went on to receive her master’s and PhD from University of California, San Diego. Then, Dwyer and her husband completed their postdoctoral research together at University of California, Berkeley. She applied to be a faculty member at the then new school California State, San Marcos. At first she was excited to be part of the beginnings of a new school until she got there and saw the realities of starting out. 

“I took a job at California State, San Marcos and I was so excited, until I got there,” Dwyer described. “It was at a time when there weren’t too many resources financially to do everything that a new university could do. So it was just this mad dash, grab for resources … my second year I was so unhappy.”

Dwyer remembered looking for jobs in the trade magazine Chemistry and Engineering News (CNE).

“I’m reading CNE news one night and it says ‘Tammy Dwyer, USD needs you,’” Dwyer joked. “No, It didn’t say that. It said USD was looking for an NMR spectroscopy person which was my field … I’d never been on the campus, but I knew I had to get out of the situation I was in.”

Dwyer started teaching at USD in the Fall of 1994. At the time, the whole chemistry department fit in the basement of Camino Hall. When the Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology was built, Dwyer remembered being asked to design the building, along with other science and chemistry faculty. 

“[Shiley] was the first building on campus to be designed by the users,” Dwyer explained. “So we had two faculty from each of the four science departments at the time … We all worked with the architects and the planners and everything … to design that building.”

After over 32 years of working in higher education, Dwyer has seen many noticeable changes, especially with technology.  Dwyer  explained  how   she has seen teaching, and the classroom, change  over  the  years. 

“To  compete for your  students’ attention with cellphones and tablets and texting,” Dwyer commented. “I have a no laptops policy because I see that as a barrier between me and my student … I need your attention three times, 55 minutes a week.”

Dwyer discussed the difference she feels in a large classroom now. 

“I love learning and I get excited about it,” Dwyer said. “I love chemistry and I get excited about it. Sometimes it’s felt, with a larger number of students, that it’s harder to get them excited about it than I used to be able to because there’s so many competing distractions these days.”

Dwyer even commented about how her examples in lecture have had to change because of new technologies. 

“Even examples I can use in the chemistry room,” Dwyer explained. “Most ovens are self-cleaning these days but Easy Off was a great product. The spray on oven cleaner that you used to be able to talk about because it’s great chemistry.”

Dwyer spoke about the many commitments she has as a professor and the need for time management. 

“We  have  to  balance teaching, research and service,” Dwyer explained. “And a lot of us do a lot in the community, especially in our younger years … So it’s a big balancing act. And then we have families. I have my spouse and my two kids. I was constantly taking off one hat and putting on another.” 

Because of her many commitments, whether personal or professional, Dwyer highlighted  the importance of students helping out in the lab and aiding with research.

“I got some of my best papers out when I was chair,” Dwyer said. “My students were excellent. Students can do all the work. Our undergraduates here, we don’t need masters programs because our undergraduates are awesome.” 

While it’s easy to say how to manage time, it’s much harder in practice, as Dwyer explained. 

“It isn’t easy by any stretch, I don’t want you to think it’s easy, but passion goes a long way,” Dwyer said. “I love working with students. Doesn’t matter if it’s a classroom, teaching laboratory, research laboratory. It’s just wonderful to work with students.”

Now that Dwyer is retiring at the end of this year, USD will be honoring her with a research fellowship. They are still trying to reach their donation goal but many alumni have reached out to Dwyer, thanking her for teaching them and telling her where they are now. 

“I’ve  just been so blessed by the number of alums who have given to this,” Dwyer explained. “And  so  they’ve  reconnected  when asks went out in the fall. I started getting emails … To think that that name will be associated with research at USD for a few years after I’m gone will be wonderful.” 

Dwyer’s husband has been teaching at USD also for the last couple years but once Dwyer retires, they will both be retiring    permanently. They have two kids and four  grandchildren. Dwyer  shared her plans after retirement.  

“We are committed to being the best grandparents we can be and we love that,” Dwyer said. “We love them all, doing puzzles with them and reading books. My husband and I love to travel, we have friends all over the world … The number one on our bucket list is we’re going to go to the Grand Canyon.” 

Dwyer shared an important message for all students to hear. 

“My genesis is that I’ve had a lot of luck,” Dwyer said. “I’ve worked hard and I was very well educated which has been my mantra here with students. ‘Give them the best darn chemistry education I can give them’ because that is a springboard for everything to come.”

Dwyer has helped many students hone their skills as researchers during her time at USD. Photo courtesy of @usdchembiochem/Instagram