Dr Ejae John --:-- EiTA Winner, 2023

Academic Unit: Process Engineering

Dr Ejae John has been at the University of Trinidad and Tobago since 2007 and has taught over 20 different courses for numerous programmes.

She believes that when students are excited about or interested in material, they will want to master the concepts by ensuring they build a solid foundation so that they can appropriately and accurately apply their knowledge. It is her goal to produce students who are excited about learning and can effectively communicate their ideas. 

One teaching strategy she used, focused mostly on using industrial examples to demonstrate the usefulness of the content being covered. She then refined her approach to better spark student interest by using both industrial examples and examples of engineering and chemistry in everyday life.  More recently, Dr John has also utilised a number of unconventional approaches such as having students write and perform calypsos using their chemistry and catalysis knowledge; using highly acclaimed poetry to discuss the electrochemistry of the heart; and discussing the chemical inaccuracies in the claims of local herbalist Trevor Sayers.

Dr John teaches her students about the questionable ethics of researchers like Fritz Haber (Noble prize winner) who also created and illegally tested chemical weapons. She guides them on how to consider not just the financial ramifications of designs, syntheses and processes, but also the ethical, environmental, and social implications.

Dr John wishes to thank the committee for this recognition and her colleagues who have assisted and supported her to become an excellent teacher.