Professor

“Younger students coming to us often aren’t complete adults; but there’s a sense of responsibility there. They’re starting to think of what they want their lives to be about. And I think that’s very cool.”

“I’m really loving the teaching at SMC,” says Christian Hart after his first few weeks at the campus. “I had a great time doing research at UCLA, but I kind of got over that, and now I’m just really enjoying the students. Really good scientists are not exactly ‘warm and fuzzy’ types,” he says with a chuckle. “But the people at SMC have all gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, provide a shoulder to cry on, or help in any way possible.”

‘Being there for people and following your heart’ is the credo that Christian has followed and recommends as a path toward fulfillment in any endeavor. “I was involved with AIDS research a lot over 13 years, and that was a very challenging, meaningful time to me personally. You get pulled in a lot of different ways, emotionally, in that work,” he says. “But helping people who are facing death can also be very exhilarating.” And Chris adds that the study of psychology can be exciting too – even for those who don’t plan on going into this field as a career.

“People can expect enthusiasm from me in the classroom because I truly love the topic. I think that the best way to make concepts meaningful is to just get away from all the jargon and translate ideas into practical, involving language. This is psychology!” he says with a laugh. “We’re all lost if we get uptight about it.” Chris says that critical thinking and a broad understanding of human experience are results of studying psychology that can be applied in any field. “But ultimately, I believe people should go where their hearts tell them. Sample and explore, sure. But go with your heart, and you’ll find success in anything you do.”

SMC Psychology Professor Christian Hart began full-time at SMC in Fall ’99. Welcome!

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