Rosa (centre) in the lab with students Mandeep Saroya and David Chapman
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DANILO ROSA sees him surrounded by students doing experiments. Rosa is a senior lab instructor in the Electricity and Magnetism Lab working primarily with second- and third-year physics students.
“Unlike faculty, we routinely interact one-to-one with the students,” says Rosa. “Lab work is a big component for them—they spend half their time doing labs. But our jobs remain somewhat in the background. We kind of like it that way.”
There is more specialization by lab instructors now than when Rosa started 27 years ago, and he feels that this benefits the students. “We are encouraged to develop new ways to explain concepts, new technologies and new software.” He and Don Stenton, a former colleague, won an award from the American Association of Physics Teachers for a new way to analyze and display magnetic fields.
The opportunity to innovate is very satisfying, but working with students is most rewarding, he says. “I have a very positive view of the ways students are changing. I’m not sure how the high schools do it, but students are more confident and there is more collaboration between them.” He notes the gender ratio in physics has changed with more women now. “Maybe that’s part of the difference.”
Born in Italy, Rosa came to Victoria from Montréal. “We came for a vacation, and I was hired as a temporary sessional while my wife was enquiring about taking courses.”
A parent of two daughters, Rosa says what he does at work and at home is related. “Raising children is all about education. Our table conversations can get pretty weird, as physics jargon creeps into them.” Rosa also likes to read about art and practises in tempera and acrylics.
One of Rosa’s annual highlights is the summer Science Venture camp for children in grades 2 to 6. “I change my holidays around so I can do demonstrations for the kids,” he explains. His office door is covered with pictures and letters from some of the budding scientists. He recalls one young girl who, at the end of the session, solemnly told him: “I have found my purpose in life: solid state physics.”
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