David Montgomery is a renewable energy physicist by training, but his passion is teaching. Since 2009 David has taught in a wide variety of instructional positions including: tutoring, summer school, science and math camp, undergraduate theses, inverted classrooms, and laboratory instructor. David won Tutor of the Year award from Schoolcraft College. David’s diverse interest and expertise allow him to teach Physics, Calculus, Robotics, Programming, and Model U.N.

Get to know David Montgomery:

What books and authors inspire you, your curriculum, and your classroom? Why? “My favorite science fiction author is Michael Crichton who is known for Jurassic Park and Next. His stories pull you into a world of fantasy that feels believable. He has achieved this because he worked with experts in the field to understand the current state of science and where science could be in the future. He then weaved his science fiction ideas into existing science so that the final product is something you can relate to and understand. Michael Crichton’s work has influenced me because his approach to storytelling is parallel to how scientists approach the physical world—understand what we know and what we don’t know, and determine where we can improve our understanding. I try to incorporate this mentality into my classroom.”

What interesting background, training, etc. do you bring to your position? “During graduate school, I worked at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials, which exposed me to large variety of synthesis and analysis techniques, However the best thing that I learn during my time there how to think for myself. My advisor taught me to never accept information at face value—always check, validate, and understand something before accepting it. Along with bringing my expertise, I am committed to helping my students learn how to think for themselves.”  

What personal passion brings balance to your life? “My personal passion is to understand how things work. I find that board games and video games are a fun and relaxing way to pursue me passion outside of work. Good games, in my opinion, offer a simple set of rules that are easy to understand but difficult to master. The pursuit of mastery of these 'closed systems' is a reward in and of itself, and is far more mentally stimulating that other forms of passive entertainment.”