Scholar Spotlight: Irene Guerinot
“My most important objective is to challenge, motivate, encourage, and inspire my students to think about their world, in new ways and with a scientific perspective.”
Irene Guerinot
Teaching Assistant Professor
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Some of my students are physics, math, and engineering majors diving deep into the subject. Others are studying fields like biology, physical therapy, and exercise science, and I help them understand the physics that connects directly to their work and the world around them.
I was brought into the department not just to teach, but also to help design and expand our online courses—making physics more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students, wherever they are. Courses deliver comprehensive content through interactive modules, multimedia resources, and flexible learning structures, ensuring accessibility without compromising academic rigor.
I believe learning needs to be student centered and that students need to be partners in the learning process. It is clear from physics education research that an inclusive classroom environment and active learning are needed to keep students engaged. That is what I try to do every day when I enter the classroom—whether in person and/or asynchronously online.
My experience spans academia, the federal government, and the private sector, and this allows me to bring a wide range of perspectives into mentoring and advising. It also enables me to incorporate interdisciplinary knowledge and real-world experiences into classroom discussions.
Why I Do What I Do
I love teaching and physics. I had my first formal teaching experience as a 19-year-old undergraduate student at UT. In my English class for foreign students, our professor gave us a major assignment: to create and deliver a 75-minute lecture on the educational system of our home country. It was my first experience standing in front of a class and teaching—and it had a lasting impact on me!
As a graduate student in this department, my most beloved mentor was Professor Marianne Breinig. At the time, she was the only female professor in the physics department and she spoke with a foreign accent—something that deeply resonated with me as a woman from Greece and one of the very few female graduate students in the program at the time. She taught me the value of being true to myself in the classroom while constantly striving to improve how material is delivered.
By Amy Beth Miller