Tamer Amin, a large man with long hair tied at the back, dominates his tiny office across from the Science and Math Education Center in Fisk Hall. After completing his undergraduate studies in chemistry at the American University of Cairo, Amin moved on to complete an MA in chemistry at Boston University in 1994.  But during his undergraduate years, his focus had already begun to move from pure science to the way science is learned. Soon he was enrolled at Clark University in Worcester, MA, where he completed a second MA followed by a PhD in 2002.  Both degrees were in psychology.

By the time Assistant Professor Amin took up his teaching post in AUB's Department of Education in the spring semester of 2001-02, he had a number of articles and conference presentations behind him. His research focus was clear: conceptual development in the educational setting.  He concentrates on concept learning and language use at the high school level. "The language through which the children are learning the concepts at the high school level is already quite different from everyday language, so it is interesting to ask how this technical language is related to the process of learning concepts," he says.

In pursuit of these ideas, Amin, analyzes the language of textbooks.  He is studying how concepts like heat, temperature, and energy are understood differently depending on the types of sentences that express them.  "I work within a framework that considers symbols, linguistic or otherwise, as a lens through which we conceptualize the world."    

But, according to Amin, pursuing research at AUB is difficult, because of the heavy three-course per semester teaching load. Methodology courses consume much time with school visits to evaluate student practice teaching.  In each semester, Professor Amin teaches undergraduate content and methods courses and a graduate course.

Amin's concentration on cognition and language came full circle with his work on one of AUB's accreditation task forces this spring. Having worked as a writing consultant in a writing center at Clark University, he envisages a writing center at AUB.  The center would not be remedial.  Staffed by five to six graduate students from different fields, it would be available to anyone needing editorial direction in writing.  It's important, he said.  "Anyone who graduates with a degree from AUB should be really comfortable with reading, writing, and speaking academic English. From my brief experience so far at AUB, this does not seem to be the case."

When asked to reflect on his best and worst experiences teaching at AUB, Amin asked if he could use a slightly different approach. He is much concerned about the "complete absence of a conversation around campus about the reconstruction in Iraq. . . . And given the fact that AUB is supposed to be concerned with education in the region . . . , I'm very surprised and actually bothered by "the lack of discussion. "Do we all believe that the US-led reconstruction plans are fine for Iraq and the region?  I doubt it. Why isn't anyone bringing this up?" He might try to do so himself.

His best experience at AUB involved the students-- specifically,  teaching a graduate seminar last spring on recent developments in science education research.  These students "are wonderful people. Many are teaching at more than one school at a time, doing master's degrees, and yet they are always ready to express intense interest in the material under discussion."

Despite the current economic situation in Lebanon and ever-present regional tensions, Amin feels positive about AUB, Lebanon, and education in the country.  Citing the new curriculum, Professor Amin pointed out that this "ambitious program has made some progress, but it seems to have been pretty weak on training teachers to implement it." The strong point of the new curriculum is its "attempt to implement much more student-centered learning [and to emphasize] critical thinking rather than cramming."  The teacher needs "to be a facilitator rather than a lecturer."

Although he rarely has any leisure time, he does enjoy listening to live music.  He also enjoys good films, but misses less commercial movie houses showing better films.  After a long day Tamer Amin can sometimes be found at his favorite bar/restaurant on Makhoul Street, Baromètre, where the international mixture of Umm Kulthum, Ziad Rahbani, and plentiful jazz by Coltrane and Nina Simone makes the musical fare inviting.

This summer he will attend two conferences-in Spain the meeting of the International Cognitive Linguistics Association, in Italy the meeting of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction.

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