MWV #81: Sheldon Campbell - The Singing Microbiologist

Sheldon Campbell sings about microbiology. Dr. Campbell teaches microbiology at Yale School of Medicine and he uses music to enhance his lectures. He has one song for every block of lectures he gives on a major topic.

Songs he's written include a song about fungi, tick borne disease, tuberculosis and one that reviews all of microbiology in eight minutes.

Dr. Campbell hasn't done any testing to see if his songs are more effective at getting his message across but he does get the occasional student who says they remembered something on a test because of his music. The students seem to enjoy it, if not at first, "by the end of the course they're singing along."

Dr. Campbell uses his love of music to enhance his teaching because he believes that if you bring something of yourself into your teaching you'll be a much more engaging and effective teacher.