John Weisz - Teachers Make a Difference - Thomas Achenbach

The speaker reflects on their experience with Thomas Achenbach, a professor at the University of Vermont, who was their advisor during graduate school at Yale. Coming from a small school in Mississippi, the speaker faced challenges in adapting to the new environment. Thomas Achenbach provided mentorship, helping the speaker develop skills in public speaking and scientific rigor. The speaker recounts receiving tough feedback on their first manuscript, which ultimately proved beneficial when submitting to journals. The experience taught the speaker the value of constructive criticism and the importance of resilience in academic growth.

What was the speaker's initial feeling when they started graduate school at Yale?

• Excited and eager

• Out of place and inexperienced

• Confident and prepared

• Indifferent and uninterested

How did Tom Achenbach assist the speaker during their time at Yale?

• By writing their manuscripts

• By offering them a job

• By helping them learn to speak up in groups

• By providing financial support

What was the speaker's expectation when they sent their first manuscript to Tom for review?

• To receive praise and support

• To have it published immediately

• To receive no feedback

• To be asked to rewrite it completely

What did the speaker find exhausting about Tom's feedback on their manuscript?

• The complexity of the scientific concepts

• The length of the feedback

• The lack of any positive comments

• The number of changes suggested

What did the speaker learn from the tough feedback provided by Tom?

• That it was more helpful than journal reviews

• That it was irrelevant

• That it was unnecessary

• That it was too harsh