Interview with Kim Lord-Plummer

Partial Transcript: What brought you to UW-Madison? That's a very good question so I've been here since 1983...

Segment Synopsis: Question: What brought you to UW-Madison? Answer: KLP has been on campus since 1983, when she came here as a graduate student. Did undergrad at McGill in Canada. There, she worked in a lab where she met Ian Duncan, who was coming to UW-Madison and was looking for grad students to work in his lab at UW-Madison. After doing a Master's and working in Duncan's lab, she decided to continue to pursue research and entered the Neurosciences Training Program on campus. She worked at a lab in the School of Veterinary Medicine, and did a PhD there with Mary Behan, receiving her PhD in neuroscience. She then continued her post-doc research at the medical school. In the interim, "a lot of life happened." KLP's husband had been offered a dream job here in Madison, so she decided to stay (rather than pursue research elsewhere). While doing post-doc research, she started teaching. She'd taught before as a TA, but this was the first time she'd taught in a professional school, and she loved it.

Keywords: Graduate School; Ian Duncan; Lab work; Neurosciences Training Program; School of Veterinary Medicine; Teaching; UW-Madison

Partial Transcript: Just cause we don't know who will listen to this and in what context- you mentioned the word, you were interested in myelination...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Explain a bit about what myelination is? Answer: In the nervous system, all or many of the nerves have a fatty insulation called "myelin" which is crucial to the nerves working. Myelination is an essential part of neurophysiology.

Keywords: Myelination; Nervous System; Neurophysiology

Partial Transcript: What got you interested in what you became interested in?

Segment Synopsis: Question: Back up to undergrad at McGill: what got you interested in what you ended up studying? Answer: KLP grew up in Quebec, Canada, where the educational system functions differently than in the US-- before college, students have the option of doing two years of a "CEGEP" program that prepares them for college or a vocational program. KLP chose the science track, during which time she met the first female scientist she'd ever met in person. This woman saw potential in KLP and encouraged her, suggesting that she do an independent project. Looking back, KLP had always had an interest in the natural world, but this made her realize she could be a scientist. KLP is a first-generation college student, and there was no expectation from her parents that she would go to college

Keywords: CEGEP; Canada; Education; Female Scientist; McGill University; Quebec; Undergrad

Partial Transcript: What were your parents, what were their vocations?

Segment Synopsis: Question: What were your parents' vocations? Answer: Mother was a stay-at-home mother, father was a project manager for an American company, "American Built-Right," that built machinery in Canada. Question: How did your parents feel about college for their kids? The family never talked about it. Father was a quiet man, and had been a bomber pilot in WWII. He kept to himself and never talked about college. Mother was very well self-educated, read voraciously, and was very interested in the history of science. There was a small liberal arts college in the town, but the topic never came up. Both of her parents died of diseases when KLP was young, 18 and 20.

Keywords: American Built-Right; Canada; Career; First Generation Student; Parents; Project Manager; Quebec; Vocation

Partial Transcript: Instead of asking to describe what you do, I want to take a moment here...

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did you get from the first love of teaching to where you are now? Answer: While KLP was in the med school, she and her husband started a family, and he got a job that kept them in the area. KLP decided to step back from research and spend more time teaching. Around 1996 or '97, KLP ran into the chairman of a science department at the School of Vet Medicine, Gordon Mitchell, who told her that they were looking for someone to teach first year classes. She knew Gordon and others at the Vet school from when she did her Master's and PhD there. It was a big decision to step away from research and commit to teaching, but she decided to make the leap.

Keywords: First Year Curriculum; Gordon Mitchell; Med School; Research; School of Veterinary Medicine; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Anyway just kinda started out slow as a part time employee, because I was raising my children...

Segment Synopsis: She started as a part-time employee, because it was important to her to be present and involved in her childrens' young lives. She identifies strongly as a mother. KLP started teaching part time small animal anatomy, which she's now been teaching for over 20 years. She slowly worked into also teaching large animal anatomy. When Mary Behan stepped down from the neuroscience first year course, KLP took over leadership of that course. In about 2007, KLP became the full time course director for the neuroscience course and the small animal anatomy course, and she was also the interim director for the large animal course at one point.

Keywords: Large Animal Anatomy; Mary Behan; Neuroscience; School of Veterinary Medicine; Small Animal Anatomy; Teaching

Partial Transcript: You talked about that you took over the small animal anatomy course and you needed to bring yourself up to speed...

Segment Synopsis: KLP elaborates on her experience having to bring herself up to speed when she first joined the small animal course. She studied canine cadavers for many hours, until she really got the fundamental principles. One thing that is important in her teaching philosophy is understanding the "big picture." Without the big picture, details are "meaningless." She wanted to understand what the students really need to know in order to be able to take what they learn and apply it to other species, since veterinarians are responsible for all species except humans. The program can't teach every species, so they have to teach students how to apply what they learn to different species.

Keywords: School of Veterinary Medicine; Small Animal Anatomy; Teaching; Teaching Philosophy

Partial Transcript: So you talked about becoming the full-time course director, what does that really mean...

Segment Synopsis: Question: What does it mean to be a full-time course director? Answer: In the vet school, the course director oversees the day-in and day-out management of the course. For an anatomy course, you start working months in advance to aquire the materials the students need, including acquiring cadavers. They also do everything from writing exams to developing lectures, reworking notes, learning digital things like D2L and Canvas... The job also involves training other people. KLP feels fortunate to have had wonderful mentors early in her career, Mary Behan and Norman Wilsman, from whom she learned how to manage and teach a course and train others. Mentoring students is also a big part of the job.

Keywords: Acquiring Cadavers; Canvas; Course Coordinator; Course Director; Course Preparation; Desire2Learn; Digital Learning; Management Systems; School of Veterinary Medicine; Small Animal Anatomy

Partial Transcript: How have changes in technology changes your work?

Segment Synopsis: Question: How have changes in technology changed your work? Answer: KLP feels that technology has helped her job and has made her aware of different ways we can connect people, both in terms of education and outreach. She is still "kind of old fashioned," and recalls that when she started teaching, she used a blackboard, and she misses how that slowed down teaching. She loves laboratory teaching, because there's no technology, just the instructor, the students, and the animal.

Keywords: Laboratory Classes; School of Veterinary Medicine; Teaching; Technology

Partial Transcript: So it started with D2L, which was pretty stripped down, pretty basic...

Segment Synopsis: About the learning management systems: they started with D2L [desire 2 learn?], which was stripped down and basic compared to Canvas. She feels that these have added a huge amount to her workload. It's great in case of a pandemic [the situation at the time of the interview], but with the advent of Canvas, it seems like Canvas takes up too much of her time. Having the ability for people to access educational materials remotely is a great thing, but the other side is all the work that goes into the system.

Keywords: COVID-19; Canvas; D2L; Desire2Learn; Learning Management Systems; Time Management

Partial Transcript: So, what I think I want to end with today, depending on how the answer goes...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you ever think about the relationship between staff and faculty? Answer: Definitely. KLP's interactions with faculty have been wholly very positive. Notes the two specific faculty that she credits with who she is: Mary Behan and Norman Wilsman. Sometimes it does seem like the campus is geared toward research money, which is more available to faculty who are PIs of labs and are trying to achieve tenure. This sometimes leaves academic staff, who also have high-level training, feeling like it's hard to get the respect that they feel they've earned. KLP always had great relationships with faculty, feeling that they were colleagues, but feels that the new HR system has reestablished the hierarchy between faculty and academic staff. Still, KLP has been very lucky in her department with the chairs and the faculty she's worked with, and remains friends with those who have retired, because they worked together as colleagues. She's not sure that she'll have the same relationship with newer faculty when she retires, because it feels different.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Course Coordinator; Course Director; Faculty; School of Veterinary Medicine; UW-Madison

Partial Transcript: If there's something that's, sort of, on your mind that you feel like you'd like to get on this one...

Segment Synopsis: Question: final thoughts? Answer: KLP feels lucky to be in Madison and at this university, and feels that she has a home here. She loves teaching here and has been able to grow in her chosen career path.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Career; Teaching; UW-Madison

Partial Transcript: As we chatted before we turned on the recorder, I have a few follow-up questions...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Involvement in Academic Staff Governance or campus groups? Answer: KLP hasn't been involved in Academic Staff Governance or other governance on campus. Discusses her involvement in outreach projects, which she's been doing for several decades. The highlight is "Grandparents' University," which KLP has been doing for about 13 years. She explains a bit about how the program works, and why she enjoys it.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Alumni Association; Campus Outreach; Grandparents University

Partial Transcript: I'm also the faculty advisor for an outreach group/club that the Veterinary Students began close to 10 years ago now...

Segment Synopsis: KLP is also the faculty advisor for an outreach club that Vet Med students started. She has also been involved with an outreach program for children of folks in the military. She's also been involved with the PEOPLE program, which offers a veterinary program for middle and/or high school students.

Keywords: Faculty Advisor; Military; Outreach; PEOPLE program; School of Veterinary Medicine

Partial Transcript: So, uh, yeah outreach is probably one of the things I've felt most strongly about...

Segment Synopsis: KLP has always felt strongly about outreach. She started working on outreach as a grad student in the '80s, getting a grant through the Center for Biology Education. She is passionate about reaching out to the public at large, and getting people, especially young people, interested in science.

Keywords: Center for Biology Education; Outreach; Public

Partial Transcript: I now wanna ask the question, you know, the reason why we're interviewing you which is the academic staff award that you won last year...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Did you know you were nominated for an Academic Staff award? Answer: Yes. Question: Thoughts/reactions when you heard you received an award? Answer: KLP was "quite surprised". She reflects on how many other impressive staff are on campus, and notes the ways in which she's gotten to know some of them. She was stunned, because she's "one of hundreds on campus." Question: Thoughts about the reception? Answer: "It was lovely." It also meant a lot to her to be able to invite her old mentors. And getting to hear from the other award winners was "really humbling."

Keywords: Academic Staff; Academic Staff Award; Faculty; Mentors; Nomination; UW-Madison

Partial Transcript: So, um, I'd like to ask more about teaching now, obviously that's what you won the award for...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Teaching philosophy? Answer: KLP's teaching philosophy can be summed up as "Empowering students to believe in themselves." She feels that teaching is about creating a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment in which people can let loose and open their minds to new ideas. She feels that teaching is all about making connections and making sure students feel safe to ask questions and make mistakes. She's always tried hard to get to know each student individually. She feels that her relentless willingness to connect with students and make them feel safe is what makes her such a successful teacher. She also notes the importance of embracing life-long learning in the profession.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Empowerment; Inclusive Environment; Safe Space; Students; Support; Teaching; Teaching Philosophy

Partial Transcript: So, um, the next question is how or if students have changed over time?

Segment Synopsis: Question: How/if students have changed over time? Answer: At the heart of it, vet med students have not fundamentally changed. Students are "very down to earth, honest, hardworking people." KLP explains that these are the kinds of people who are drawn to vet medicine, and explains why. She does think they've changed as learners-- feels that the newer generations of students require more explicit and structured learning environments than students did 25 or 30 years ago. Gives a few examples to illustrate the differences.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Learning; School of Veterinary Medicine; Students; Teaching

Partial Transcript: um, having a lot of access to materials, um you know back in the old days we gave them...

Segment Synopsis: KLP feels that having a lot of access to materials is one thing that has contributed to this change. She compares how it was "back in the old days" to how it is now, with Canvas. She feels that she has to do more "hand-holding" than she used to. She notes that there is a lot of information out there, and has sympathy for students feeling overwhelmed. She tries to teach students how to "sift and winnow" through the information available.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Canvas; Course Coordinator; Course Director; Learning; Learning Management Systems; Teaching

Partial Transcript: The last question, I think you've touched on it indirectly in ways but I want to ask directly...

Segment Synopsis: Question: What, if anything, have the students taught you? Answer: Selflessness. "These are people who have spent their lives giving." KLP gives a few examples of impressive things that vet students have done prior to coming to the veterinary medicine school.

Keywords: Lessons; School of Veterinary Medicine; Selflessness; Students; Teaching; Vet Students

Partial Transcript: So, uh, we're now moving to a section that didn't exist when we first met...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Thoughts about how COVID-19 has affected your work and life? Answer: KLP expresses feeling distressed at the incompetence of the federal government, and sadness for the many people who have died. She notes that this ties back to her strong feelings about the importance of science literacy.

Keywords: COVID-19; Government; Pandemic; Politics; Science Literacy

Partial Transcript: Let's see, what else, well as far as teaching is concerned well I've learned all kinds of new things...

Segment Synopsis: As far as teaching is concerned, KLP has "learned all kinds of new things," including Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. The first case of COVID-19 on campus was at the vet school, so everyone had to leave on March 13. They had a week to figure out how to deliver online classes that are normally 95% hands-on in the lab. She notes some of the challenges of figuing out how to make textbooks available digitally, and learning all of the conferencing apps. She notes that this ended up being applicable to the neuroscience class where students work collaboratively in small groups on case studies-- after learning several conferencing apps, she was able to figure out that Blackboard Ultra would work for that class. Learning how to create exams using Canvas' quiz tool was "a huge learning curve," but valuable in the end. KLP and others ended up working with DoIT to explore options.

Keywords: Blackboard Collaborate Ultra; COVID-19; Campus Closure; Coronavirus; Laboratory Classes; Remote Instruction; School of Veterinary Medicine

Partial Transcript: Communication was something that I found difficult, uh, with students, communication with students...

Segment Synopsis: Communication with students was difficult. KLP has an open-door policy, and has encouraged an environment where students can come ask questions. She's met with students on Blackboard (through Canvas), but this isn't the same as meeting in person and get the biofeedback you get in a face-to-face conversation. Many students emailed her with questions, rather than posting on a discussion board that was visible to their classmates. There was a lot of "busy work" around communication.

Keywords: Blackboard Collaborate Ultra; COVID-19; Communication with Students; Physical Connection; Remote instruction; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Obviously, you know, as I started off with the more global aspect of this...

Segment Synopsis: KLP notes again that the more local, state-wide, nation-wide, and global aspects of COVID are indescribable, and that as far as teaching, there have been both negatives and positives. Vet med students value being in a community of practice, and KLP thinks that being apart from each other took a toll on the students. She thinks we've learned a lot about how to teach remotely during a crisis, which can be used in the future, but we've also learned that as a community we like to be together.

Keywords: COVID-19; Community Building; Remote Instruction; School of Veterinary Medicine; Teaching; Vet Med Students

Partial Transcript: So we got a couple more minutes left so let's move to the final question which is kind of a two-parter...

Segment Synopsis: Question: What do you feel you'll be remembered for? Is it what you want to be remembered for? Answer: KLP thinks she'll be remembered as someone who put students first with regard to teaching, noting that she "worked [her] tail off" to improve learning experiences for students. She's also been a cheerleader for veterinary medicine and what veterinary professionals do. This is exactly what she wants to be remembered for.

Keywords: Academic Staff; Impact; Legacy; Students; Teaching; Veterinary Medicine

Partial Transcript: Um, we have just a couple more minutes, is there any final thoughts you'd like to express before we close this oral history?

Segment Synopsis: Question: Final thoughts? Answer: KLP does hope to retire fairly soon. Notes that veterinary medicine has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession at this time, and that one of the things that they've begun to work hard on is wellness, and striving to lead a balanced life. KLP has been working very, very hard for many years, sometimes at the expense of her own physical and mental health. Part of the reason she wants to retire is to get back to living a more balanced life and centering herself. But, once she retires, she also wants to find a way to give back to the veterinary medical profession. She loves what she does, and feels that she's derived more than the people she's worked with, students and colleagues, than she's given to them, "and it's a wonderful life."

Keywords: Academic Staff; Career; Hard Work; Mental Health; Retirement; Teaching