Rate My Professor Paul Yates

Paul Yates is a Professional Practice Fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Otago, where he served for 41 years until his retirement. He completed his BSc (Honours) and MSc in Space Physics at the University of Otago. Throughout his extensive career, Yates dedicated himself to physics education, particularly in laboratory-based teaching that supported thousands of students in developing practical skills and understanding core physics concepts. His long-term commitment to the department highlighted his role in fostering hands-on learning experiences essential for undergraduate success in physics-related disciplines.

In his teaching portfolio, Yates delivered laboratory sessions and tutorials for PHSI 191 Biological Physics, PHSI 282 Experimental Physics I, and PHSI 381 Experimental Physics II, courses tailored for students in health and life sciences as well as general physics majors. These responsibilities involved guiding students through experimental procedures, data analysis, and application of physics principles to real-world scenarios. Yates contributed to advancements in physics pedagogy through scholarly work, including co-authoring the 2013 publication 'A controlled comparison of teaching methods in first-year university physics' in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand alongside T. Scott and A. Gray, which examined effective instructional strategies. He also presented 'The development of the teaching of experimental physics' at the International School for Junior Scientists and Students on Optics, Laser Physics and Biophysics in Saratov, Russia, in 2010, with I. Meglinski and A. Wilson. Furthermore, Yates assisted in authoring the textbook Introduction to Biological Physics for the Health and Life Sciences, first published in 2010 by Kirsten Franklin, Paul Muir, Terry Scott, Lara Wilcocks, and the staff of the Department of Physics at the University of Otago, providing foundational resources for non-physics majors. His efforts have had a lasting impact on physics education at the institution, emphasizing experimental proficiency and interdisciplinary applications.