Yanpeng Sun, PhD ’19, had never been abroad until he came to Harvard from China in 2013 to pursue his doctorate in structural geology. “It was a bit scary at the beginning,” he recalls. Although Sun had started learning English at age 11, he needed to improve his oral skills before assuming his teaching fellow responsibilities.
Thanks to the Bok Center’s Professional Communication Program for International Teachers and Scholars—and with considerable personal drive and support from his faculty advisor—Sun has greatly enhanced his grammar, vocabulary, and conversational abilities, and even earned a coveted teaching award in his department.
Shortly after arriving on campus, Sun enrolled in a Bok Seminar taught by Pamela Pollock, associate director for professional and scholarly development. The course, Classroom Communication Skills for International TFs, focuses on skills like impromptu speaking and interactive teaching. One highlight for Sun was being paired with an undergraduate who helped him practice his English. “I was able to meet with her one-on-one every week for one hour. I would ask her questions,and she would give feedback on my pronunciation or grammar,” he explains. “We’re still good friends.”
Even after he met the language requirement to teach, Sun decided to continue taking advantage of Bok Center resources. He took two more seminars “because I just want to improve myself.” In a class on public speaking for international teachers and scholars, for example, he learned strategies for overcoming stage fright and making eye contact with the audience during presentations. Sun still makes some mistakes when speaking, but he is quick to laugh about them and is encouraged by positive student evaluations he has received.
Sun’s dedication has paid off with a Teaching Certificate from the Bok Center and an award from the Earth and Planetary Sciences department for his role in teaching the undergraduate course, “Structural Geology and Tectonics.” The Shaler Teaching Award includes a rock hammer with Sun’s name engraved on it. “I’m really proud of that,” he says.