Some words of recommendation
from former students:
- Hello Professor Nassar, I am one of your former students from Physics 6A for Summer Session A. I just wanted to thank you for being a wonderful professor. When I first entered your class, I was initially apprehensive. In my prior academic experience, physics had always been a frustrating and difficult topic of study. After a few days into your class, however, those fears were quickly put aside. Physics continued to be a challenging experience, but it also becoming quite interesting and enjoyable. This shift in perspective is mainly due to the way you taught the class. The enthusiasm and passion you brought to the class every day, as well as your ability to make abstract concepts intuitive, greatly helped me engage in what has always been a difficult topic for me personally. Beyond that, learning physics has also taught me a more refined way of looking at the world, with an emphasis on logic, breaking down concepts, and application. Thank you again and I wish you many more wonderful and fulfilling years of teaching. Any future students would be lucky to have you. Sincerely, Pooja Solanki
- Dr. Nassar, Thank you for an incredible year! Yours were without a doubt some of the best classes I have ever had the good fortune of taking. Your passion for the material and the sheer joy you have while teachong is contagious. Your kindness and patience with thetudents is simply unmatched. I came into the class very nervous and unsure of myself and now leave with a new sense of confidence that I will continue to carry - thank you! with gratitude, Marissa Silverman
- Thank you, Dr. Nassar for making this year great, Jonathan Heckerman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWaFvKrPpwQ&feature=youtu.be
- Dear Dr. Nassar, I just wanted to say thank you for a great summer session. You are an amazing professor and you've changed the way I look at things. Now when I walk down a flight of stairs I think of how the work done by gravity is positive. When I see someone riding a bike, I can't help but think of that mighty cheese video! I loved the way you incorporated real life, everyday examples to whatever physics lesson we were learning. You made this class relatable and so much more interesting than I could have ever imagined. I want to tell you how much I appreciate your enthusiasm in teaching physics. You made me look forward to waking up every morning and coming to lecture. I took physics in high school and had a terrible experience, so I was really scared to take physics at UCLA. But you made the concepts so easy to understand, and all the demos and examples you did helped me to visualize the concepts. During office hours, you were always so patient and thorough with each question I asked, making sure that I fully grasped the concept, and I really appreciate it. You've changed my view of physics from being fearful to feeling confident. Because of this, I feel like I can conquer both 6B and 6C. You are by far one of the greatest professors I have ever had, and I really wish I could take you for 6B and 6C. It is very hard to find a professor who truly cares about his students and who wants them to understand the concepts. Thanks again for making physics such a fun and enjoyable learning experience. Best, Ashley Sarquiz
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Hi Professor Nassar, My name is Carolyn and I was in your Physics 6A XL class last Fall quarter. I just wanted to thank you for being such a fantastic physics professor. It is rare to have a teacher so concerned with their students' learning and it was very evident with the effort you would make in demonstrating the application of physics in everyday life. The videos you showed us in class were very interesting and your demonstrations were helpful in applying the concepts we learned. Your lectures were so unique and innovative; I will never forget how much fun it was in the class (and how much I learned of course!). Thank you again for a great quarter of physics! Best, Carolyn Chow
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Dear Professor Nassar, I wanted to take a moment to express how much I enjoyed and appreciated being a part of your class this summer quarter. I can’t think of a teacher who could have made this quarter any more interesting or fun than you did. You truly are a standout teacher because of your sheer dedication to your students. Especially when teaching physics, you always made extra sure that the material was well understood. Without you, I never would have been able to master physics the way I did. Being able to count on you for extra help and clarification was really special to me and shows me how much you care about the happiness and success of your students. I will never forget all the fun activities you included in your class to enhance learning. I especially loved how you always related the lessons to real-life examples that would allow the material to make more logical sense to students and always give us something to relate the lessons to. It made it so much easier to recall the material when being tested on it or when we needed it for homework. Thank you for a great summer quarter and for always going the extra mile as a professor. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. Sincerely, Sophia Sharaf
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Dear Prof. Nassar, Thank you so much for such an amazing year. You have made learning about Physics so enjoyable and lively. I have come across very few professors who can take a subject and bring it to life. My learning experience has really been special due to your passion, knowledge and kindness. I cannot thank you enough for what I am able to take away from this class. I check my tires' expiration date, I know why puddle mirages form and I know how circuits are routed in my house. You truly are such an amazing professor and I endlessly recommend you to anyone interested in taking Physics. Continue to do what you do and wiching you best in whatever you pursue. Best, Christine Ly.
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Dr. Nassar: One of the best decisions I made in my UCLA years was to take your Physics 6A class. After struggling in my science classes for a few quarters, you restore in me the confidence I needed to believe in myself again. Before your class, I always thought physics was very complicated, but the way you presented the different topics was so entertaining that it made it easier to understand. I appreciated the passion and enthusiasm that you demonstrated EVERY DAY including office hours. Thanks to you, I was able to move forward in my undergrad major and now I have achieved my lifetime goal of getting into dental school. You truly made a positive impact in my undergrad years and I appreciate what you did. I wish you all the best! Please keep teaching physics at UCLA! Victor Chan
- Hello Professor Nassar: My name is Adam Rabb and I was in your Physics 6A class this past Summer Session A. This might be a little late, but I just wanted to thank you for all of your help and inspiration this past quarter. I had been putting off taking the physics series due to the fact that I had never taken physics in high school, and additionally believed that the physics series would be similar to the Chemistry series in terms of style and difficulty. While the material wasn't always easy, I felt that you were able to make the material both interesting and relevant. I wanted to thank you for creating an exciting and interactive atmosphere that made me want to learn and understand the material more than anything. I have to admit that I was previously one of those students, that while I knew the importance of physics, wasn't very excited to take the class. After finishing the class I must say that I have a new appreciation for the subject, and that I genuinely enjoyed coming to class and learning the material. Specifically, you helped me see that the subject was more than just numbers and memorizing equations, but about the concepts and how everything is related. It was unfortunate that I didn't take the class earlier. Thank you again for helping me understand and appreciate the subject, and for a great quarter! Thank you, Adam Rabb
- Hi Professor Nassar: I just wanted to say thank you for being a wonderful teacher this summer. The lectures were both creative and very helpful! I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated by the thought of physics at the beginning of the course. During your lessons, however, the way you explained it was easily understandable and it made perfect sense!
Thanks for being so kind at office hours and helping me understand the practice sets - I really appreciate it. I wish you the very best of luck for the rest of your time at UCLA, and I hope that we'll see each other again in the future! Sincerely, Susan Chang
- Hi Dr. Nassar: I wanted to take this time and thank you for your effort in physics 6A I truly have to say that you are a unique professor who dedicated his knowledge and time to students. I really appreciate everything you did in lecture and outside of lecture hours. I just wish more Ucla professors saw teaching more as caring for students. I wish you the best of luck in your career and again thank you for your warmness as a human being. Have a great summer. Parpi Mehrabi
- Hello Dr. Nassar: I just wanted to say thank you for being such an awesome physics professor! Physics has always been extremely challenging for me, even in high school. I never enjoyed it, dreaded going to class, and only ever managed to barely pass the course. It still proved to be a daunting challenge when I tried to take it at my previous community college, and I ended up dropping it by the end of the first week. After transferring to UCLA, I decided to try and take physics 6A again, hoping that this difficult subject will finally make some sense. To my dismay, I did horribly in the midterms, even though I thought I grasped the material well. In the end, I dropped the course before the final and I realized that I would never understand physics nor would I ever want to. My constant failure in this subject deterred me from taking physics 6A again until now, where I am about to start my senior year at UCLA. I was hesitant to take this course during the summer, but I had no choice since physics 6A was a pre-requisite to a major upper-division course. Looking back, I am so glad that I chose to pursue this difficult subject with you as my professor. Not only did you make each lecture enjoyable and entertaining, you also approached physics in a very straightforward and easy to understand manner. The way you explained concepts using real life analogies and demonstrations made it so much easier to understand. For once, physics is not merely equations and abstract concepts but an explanation to how the world works. Your enthusiasm towards physics instilled in me the desire to work hard and understand the material. My success in this course renewed my hope that I can do well in all of my future courses at UCLA despite my shaky start. For all of this, I would like to say thank you, Dr. Nassar. Thank you for sharing your passion and enthusiasm towards physics with us; for being understanding with my situation; and most of all, thank you for giving me the courage and will that I needed to continue my education at UCLA. Sincerely, Wing Yau Alexis Kwok
- I can honestly say that Professor Nassar is truly one of the greatest professors teaching Physics at UCLA. His love for the subject is so clearly exuded that it enables his students to admire the subject as much as he does. Physics is not an easy subject and can be difficult for many. However, with Professor Nassar’s expertise and ability to enhance the learning experience, Physics becomes a more enjoyable subject. What makes Professor Nassar a truly unique teacher is the way in which he explains the complex concepts of Physics. He explains each concept by applying them to real life examples. For me personally, this made mastering physics much more easier and enjoyable. I took his class right around the time when the World Cup was taking place in summer 2010. Soccer is one of my favorite sports and when I would not understand a concept, he would always apply it to soccer. This enabled me to visualize each problem and thereby understand the concepts. His ability to simplify complex problems is a gift to students who may be struggling in mastering them. I wish Prof. Nassar teaches 6B and 6C.
He also demonstrates a true concern for the well being of his students, which is evident on a daily basis. He would hold office hours overtime to make sure that each student was able to grasp the concepts they had difficulties with. I would attend his office hours regularly, and I can say from personal experience that his dedication and commitment to helping his students understand the difficult concepts makes him a one of a kind professor. There was no time limit on how long Professor Nassar could dedicate to his office hours. He was willing to stay until each student’s questions were answered. Everyone deserves to have an instructor like Professor Nassar. He is without a doubt one of the best professors I have ever had and I will forever be grateful for what he has taught me. Your friend student SJ (Sinan Jabori)
- Hello Professor Nassar,
I really enjoyed your class.I wanted to thank you for your enthusiasm for the subject, and the joy with wich you teach it, it made staying up and paying attention way past my bed time a lot easier. The world needs more teachers like you. Cloe Zimmerman
- Dear Professor Nassar: I just wanted to take the time to thank you for being such a wonderful physics professor. I truly enjoyed coming to class every day to hear your lectures and watch you carry out cool experiments. I admire your desire to teach and to genuinely help students really understand the material. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to personally introduce myself to you, but I just thought I should let you know that I enjoyed your class very much. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to meet you again. Thanks again and have a great summer. Alon Kashanian
- Thank-you note
- Dear Dr. Nassar, How are you doing? I am your Physics 6A student Sui Tim Au during Summer Session 2008. I just found out today in my e-mail that UCLA is asking students to nominate a professor at UCLA for Distinguished Professor Award. Although I am a senior now, and when I took your class I was still a Freshman, I remember vividly the wonderful Physics experience you gave me in class. I have never had such a stress-free science class, in which I totally understand the concepts from your lectures and office hours. Therefore, I nominated you for the award. I wish you will win it. Dr. Nassar, you totally deserve the award, and I don’t think the award is enough to recognize your passion towards education. Thank you so much for your support and recommendation letters in the past, I am still in the application process for medical schools; I recently got a few interviews and hopefully I will hear good news soon. When I look back at my college experience in the future after I graduate in June, you will always have a special place in my memories as a model educator. I am looking forward to meeting you again before I leave UCLA. With most appreciation and best wishes, Sui Tim Au
- Dr Nassar: You are the best professor I ever had in my life. The first when I was walking to XL 10 Physics class, I kept thinking how mathematical this class will be because I am a medical graduate and not a math one. After attending your first class I was shocked to find that Physics can be so interesting actually. I have finally realized that Physics is the language of the undiscovered and while I thought that Physics was all discovered and Einstein finalized it all, I was a frog in a pond while I thought that. Thanks to you that you can actually inform students that Physics is one unclaimed territory and for those lucky enough to jump and dedicate their life may contribute maybe at a time that others will actually understand( it maybe extremely rare but no one knows who a great mind maybe or may become). A great mind like Einstein struggled to prove his theory looking for a total eclipse to prove his theory. your concept of showing images and videos is unique and that makes your teaching style the best as far I can remember. My mind is fixed to follow my interests of Pharmaceuticals and i am moving to Pennsylvania to purse my interests further, I will still join and complete the 6 series you teach at UCLA. This will be purely out of interest, you are an Angel when it comes to Physics, an angel sent by the divine to create interest among your pupils in Physics. Thank you. Sincerely, Dr. Harpreet Walia
- Dear Professor Nassar, We just want to express our gratitude, we wanted to it personally but your office hours are always so busy that we thought a letter was more appropriate. Physics has been an incredible challenge for both of us and we have had to retake it. However, you have been so helpful that now we have a full grasp on what physics really is about. You are so inspriring and motivating. Thank you. Please continue doing what you're doing!! Students like us are thankful to come across professors like you. You are amazing! You do a great vector impersonation! We love your music in the slides. It made us want to wake up early to come to class. Sincerely, Victoria Rivas and Mercedes Jimenez.
- Dr. Nassar, I don’t think you will ever understand how much I enjoyed your class. I am used to looking at the clock every ten minutes to see what time it is, hoping that class ends soon. BUT I didn’t do this even once in your class. You have a unique way of presenting Physics that captures the attention of anyone who has even the slightest curiosity for the subject. You truly have a gift, one that I don’t think any of my future professors will ever attain in a life time of teaching. Your passion for the subject is real. You truly believe what you say, and it wasn’t hard for me to also enjoy a subject that you hold dear to your heart. Physics was always a class that I didn’t look forward to. I realized early on that I would have to study and work hard to achieve the grade I wanted. Your fairness and generosity stunned me. Your class was definitely not easy, but at the same time, it was definitely not impossible. You were willing to spend up as much time as your students needed in office hours, even if it meant going over the time allotted. Not only were you a great Physics teacher, but you also gave me a better understanding of the life that I want to live. You were able to incorporate Physics to the real world in ways that seemed unimaginable at first. EVERYTHING about your class was just right. If I had only one person in the entire world to teach me Physics or any subject for that matter, it would be you. You emphasize the essentials, and that is what I also believe is important. The only thing that I disliked about the course was that it was only six weeks long. I would wake up at 6:00 AM every morning, all summer long if you were to teach Physics 6B and 6C. Thank you so much for such a great experience. I consider Physics is a friend and not an enemy, because of you. You are truly the peacemaker. Your student for life. Jonathan Yousefzadeh
- Dear Professor Nassar, I was a student in your Physics 6a course this summer and I just wanted to thank you for not only your truly enjoyable teaching style (even at 8:30 am during the summer vacation) but also for inspiring me to learn more about physics, which I never thought would happen. This is my second time taking this course and because of you I feel prepared for my future physics classes. On that note, have a relaxing and enjoyable rest of the summer, filled with much music and fun, and I hope that I will be able to discuss physics with you again in the future. THANK YOU! Cheers, Alexandra Licona
- Dear Prof. Nassar, Thanks for your great lecture for phy 6A this summer! I had a wonderful experience with physics and an awesome lecture everyday. I was very excited about every lecture I went and I never had a thought about ditching your class. Because I dont want miss any interesting topic that you brought every lecture. You totally changed my view toward physics, I used to be afraid of this subject, however, now I kinda enjoy the topics and apply that to my daily live. =) Final was over, yet I was still hoping you can teach phy 6B or 6C. Have you? Thanks for your awesome lecture and Have a great summer! Student, Emily Fu
- Dear Dr. Nassar, I would like to thank you for teaching Physics 6A. This was my first exposure to physics and I gained a lot from your lectures. You are a very enthusiastic and generous teacher; all teachers should be like you. Thank you again, Your student Katie Zheng
- Hi Dr. Nassar, I took Physics 6A in winter quarter of this past school year with another professor and dropped it 8th week. I tried taking it again in spring quarter with another one and dropped it again 8th week. I felt like no matter how much I tried or studied I still didn't understand it and my grades weren't that well. I have never been good in math nor physics and having never taken physics in my life I felt stupid for having 2 drop it twice. However, you have changed my opinion on physics this summer and was just emailing you to say thank you. Attending your class every day was great because for the first time I felt like I actually understood what I was supposed to understand. I still struggled in the class, but for the first time I felt physics was manageable and you made it less stressful. I dreaded taking taking physics 6A again this summer because I felt like I would have to drop it again if I didn't get the hang of it, but being in your class made a difference. Not only have you taught me how to understand physics, but you have also taught me things about life. Also, thanks for showing us the video on Newton it was very interesting and also thanks for recommending Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dream it has really made a difference in my life. Anyways, Thank you for being a wonderful professor. you have truly made me like physics and to never give up.Anyways, Thank You! Jose Hernandez
- Dr. Nassar: I have really enjoyed attending your Physics 10 class this summer. I have a master’s degree in economics & business, and because of your teaching skills I almost feel sorry that I didn’t study physics ;-) Brandaen van der Kloet.
- Hi Professor Nassar, my name is Jackson Liang- I took Physics 6A with you this past summer. I'm not sure if you remember me but I was the one who asked you several questions about Einstein's relativity and some other physics theories. You told me to study the Lorentz transformations and it actually took me a while but I think I finally understand the ideas of time dilation and spacetime, etc. (or as much as it is humanly possible to understand something this far from what we experience day to day). I just wanted to email you to tell you that you've been the best professor I've had at UCLA and your encouragement for me to study physics did in fact make me do a lot of extracurricular reading while taking your course. And I'm pleased to say that the excitement you've given me has not gone away in the least - I'm currently trying to understand the idea elementary particles and force carrying particles in particle physics but quite frankly, it seems a bit overwhelming at first. Nonetheless, I've just started and I do intend on continuing my inquiry. But really, I just wanted to tell you that I've had professors at UCLA that could give great lectures, could make funny jokes, and so forth. And I loved your lectures as well (especially that day you smashed a block over yourself on a bed of spikes), but more importantly, you were the only professor that actually inspired me to want to learn more about a subject and inspired me to find out more about the physical world. And for that I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for a great class and the gift of curiosity for physics that you've given me. And also, I was wondering if you would be teaching Physics 6C at UCLA this year? If so, I would love to take your class again. In any case, thanks again. Jackson Liang
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Physics became one of my favorite classes because you made each day different in its own right. I hope to be so lucky as to encounter a professor like you throughout college. Thanks so much for everything. Georgia Duan.
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Thank you for a great year of physics. Not only did I learn a great deal with such a range of topics covered, I also developed a fondness for physics. Thanks again. Tasha Lin.
- Dear Dr. Nassar: I enjoyed your class very much! The main strength of your course is that you do not spread too much on secondary ideas, but really emphasize on the main conceps and theory behind them. I also loved demonstrations that you performed. They not only help to remember the formulas behind them, but also to understand what formed them. Your "coming from life" examples were excellent. Thank you very much for making physics, the subject that many people consider difficult, so understandable and enjoyable. Thank you! Yana Bernatavichute
- Dear Dr. Nassar: I know I was usually pretty quiet in class but I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed the 2 courses I took with you. I knew next to nothing about Physics before taking the series, and quite frankly I was dreading it before 6A began. However, from the first hour of the first class to the last meeting, it far exceeded my expectations. I found it enlightening, interesting, and entertaining and I feel as though the knowledge I gained will stay with me rather than leaving my head the minute I walked out of the final exam. You were one of the best professors I have had in 5 years of college and I am disappointed to have to miss 6C. Thank you for the effort and passion you put into your teaching...it makes such an enormous difference for the students. Like you said in our class discussion last quarter, I really hope that we see an educational revolution in the near future so that more people will get to experience what an astronomical difference wonderful teachers and strong educations make. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to attend your classes. Thank you again and best of luck to you in the future! Take care, Erin Cairns.
- Dear Dr. Nassar: I want to thank you for your passion and dedication as you introduced me to the world of physics over the past year. I see the world in a new way. As I walk down the street there are so many representations of what I learned in your classes. I try to share the physics concepts you taught me with my wife and friends, but they are not always a willing audience. It's why I will miss being in your course, you provided a place for the exchange of thrilling principles and ideas. You ignited a deep interest in me for physics. Many professors are just going through the motions, but you are completely the opposite. You care about teaching and for me, as a student, that means everything. Take care, Mark Kleid.
- Dear Dr. Nassar: My reaction to the course was that this was one of the greatest classes I had ever taken. I especially loved the music in each one of your PowerPoint presentations. It made Snell’s Law and projectile motion a lot more interesting and fun. Learning was easy in a class that could have been very difficult. In the beginning, I decided to take physics because I was interested in how our world worked and the rules that governed our world. After hearing about how hard the class was from others, I was a little uneasy about taking the class. However, after the first week of class I knew that those other students must not have been in your class because even though the material might have been challenging, you were able to present it, through your colorful examples, in a way that was easy to understand. Class was always lively with excitement which made the class more comfortable and created an environment that I could thrive in. Fifth period became my favorite period of the day because I knew that your class would be challenging, exciting and enjoyable. Brian Harris.
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Physics this year was a blast. It was one of the more difficult courses I had taken, and yet one of the most fulfilling and satisfying. I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but what I learned and gained was much better than receiving an A. You are one of the best teachers I've had at Harvard-Westlake. You genuinely cared about the students and their situations. Very few teachers go out of their way to make student feel comfortable or to adjust into their surroundings, especially during junior year, but you definitely made physics a class to look forward to. You didn't just teach the material, but you made it appealing and, surprisingly, fun to learn. Sarah Hwang.
- Hi Dr. Nassar: Thank you so much for being such a considerate professor the last three quarters I had with you. I was worried about struggling in the classes, but you made them all the more enjoyable and comprehendable. I really appreciate all of the insightful lectures you gave our class and it clearly shows you are a professor who truly cares about the success of your students. And again, thank you for everything. Best regards, Deborah Eshtiaghpour.
- Dear Professsor Nassar: I didn't get a chance to tell you on our last day (since I was so wrapped up in taking the final!), but I wanted to say that I really enjoyed your class and despite not being a "math" person, I liked a lot of the things I learned. It opened up my eyes to the world around me and I'm sure I won't be forgetting all of it any time soon! Anyway, I appreciate your teaching us the concepts so well and laying a great foundation for my academic career! Thanks so much and I hope to keep in touch! Sincerely, Rosalind Lee.
- Professor Nassar: I want to say a final THANK YOU for all the time and energy you put into your teaching - you can rest assured that, contrary to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, none of your energy was wasted!! I enjoyed being your student this year and I will look back on this time with fondness for your enthusiastic lectures, demonstrations, presentations, and support for the amazing PBS documentaries! I feel awed by the amount that I have learned this year in Physics 6A, 6B and 6C. I hope that you know that your teaching has made a strong impact on my life and that I will always have a very special place in my heart for Physics. I will miss the class and the chance to think deeply and to learn about our world on the most fundamental level. Thank you so very much, Lamelle Ryman.
- Hi Professor Nassar: I just wanted to let you know that I thought you were an outstanding professor. I came into this course a little uneasy, but I left with confidence. I would have to say that out of all of the professors I have had here at UCLA you rank #1. The energy you bring to the classroom at 8am is amazing! The interest you have in physics helps you to make it so your students also have a similar interest or excitment about what they are learning. I hope to have a professor as good as you for physics 6B... though I highly doubt that will occur. I also wanted to ask you about string theory...is there anything on string theory on physicsland.com? Thanks for being a great professor! Anna Young
- Hey Dr. Nassar. I just wanted to write and thank you for our physics class this past session. I think that physics is a subject that can easily alienate people and make them just want to get it over with. I can easily say however, that you made it not only bearable but enjoyable. I really appreciate the energy and concern you gave to us and can only hope that the physics professors I have in the future show as much concern for my learning and explain things as well as you did. I justed wanted to let you know how much I took from your class and appreciated your refreshing outlook and the effort you put into our learning. I wish you all the luck for the future and hope that you continue to enjoy teaching and making such a tenuous subject interesting to your students. Thanks again and take care. Sean Anthony Luis
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Thank you for a wonderful Summer Session. You have truly changed my vision of physics. I never knew that I could love physics till I took your course. I just wish you taught regular classes here at UCLA so I could finish the series with you. I thoroughly enjoyed the "Galileo" and "String Theory" videos and songs with the PowerPoint presentations were a wonderful addition. Thanks again. Best luck in the future. Warmly, Meri Gukasyan
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Thank you so much for opening up the door to physics for me. Before I took your class, I never thought I could possible survive. But after I experienced the first day of lecture, I saw that your enthusiasm and excitement about physics were contagious. Michelle Mahanian
- Dear Dr. Nassar: A few students who were in your Physics 6A with me took Physics 6B during the following summer session and everyone kept commenting on how much they missed you and your class. Every one who has had you for a professor has said nothing but good things! We were all very impressed by how you made a subject such as physics, which many students dread, very interesting, understandable and fun (even at 8 AM!). Even Prof. Ray Waung (Physics 6B) commented on how lucky we were to have you as an instructor. P.S: Curt Stokes (one of your other former students) and I are taking the MCAT Prep course together. When we review physics we always refer back to your demos and videos that you showed us to recall the theory and topics. Take care, Michelle Sanchez.
- Hi Dr. Nassar: Thank you so much for being such a considerate professor the last three quarters I had with you. I was worried about struggling in the classes, but you made them all the more enjoyable and comprehendable. I really appreciate all of the insightful lectures you gave our class and it clearly shows you are a professor who truly cares about the success of your students. And again, thank you for everything. Best regards, Deborah Eshtiaghpour.
- Hello Professor Nassar: I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for being such a wonderful and enthusiastic teacher this quarter at UCLA Extension. I come to class every week anticipating a new and exciting presentation of physics concepts and equations. I did my undergrad work in biology at UC Berkeley and have already been exposed to many of the ideas taught in your class. But I have to admit, I have learned and absorbed more from your lectures in one quarter than my 4 years at Cal. I am truly honored to learn from such an effective and enthusiastic teacher. I look forward to learning even more from you next quarter! Thank you again. Sincerely, Adam Idica
- Dear Professor Nassar: I am writing you to thank you for being the greatest physics instructor I have ever had in my life, I will admit to you that physics was not one of my favorite subjects and always thought of it as something that would be so hard for me to understand, but for the past 3 quarters I had with you was the greatest opportunity for me in learning physics and its principles, even though I struggled on your final exams, I want you to know that I might have not been good at taking physics exams, but I really looked forward to coming to your lecture ever monday, you really made me look at physics in different perspective that I learned to know about physics. I really enjoyed coming to your lectures and I really have a huge respect for physicists now. I will tell you that you make physics very clear to someone like me who never thought would understand physics by reading the books. I am thanking you again for making me look at physics in a physicists way of looking at it. Thank you very much and have a great summer. George Halab.
- Dear Professsor Nassar: I didn't get a chance to tell you on our last day (since I was so wrapped up in taking the final!), but I wanted to say that I really enjoyed your class and despite not being a "math" person, I liked a lot of the things I learned. It opened up my eyes to the world around me and I'm sure I won't be forgetting all of it any time soon! Anyway, I appreciate your teaching us the concepts so well and laying a great foundation for my academic career! Thanks so much and I hope to keep in touch! Sincerely, Rosalind Lee.
- Hi Dr. Nassar: I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the "extra" material you presented in this class. I liked the videos that were both related to (inertial frames of reference, Newton's second law) and independent of the material we were studying (big bang). I truly appreciate your desire to instill in us a genuine interest in the subject. Thank you. Sharon Cu.
- Hey Dr. Nassar: I want to thank you for teaching such a stellar physics class. It was great to see your enthusiasm and really helped me understand the material. Thanks so much for your time! Tom Joseph
- Dr. Nassar: I really feel you gave me the freedom to explore through research and your teaching will last with me a lifetime. These past two years you have given me a lot more than just knowledge; you have given me a passion for all science. Thank you so much for all the great times, it's been an honor knowing you. Sincerely, Matt Sprague.
- Hi Dr. Nassar: Since Physics 6C is the last class I just want to sincerely thank you for all that you have taught me this past year. Before I started 6A I had not taken a science course since high school (I was a theater arts major as an undergrad) and I was quite nervous about delving into physics. It has since become my favorite class and concepts that once seemed a foreign language now present themselves as tools for understanding universal questions that have always baffled me. I have grown so much over the course of the past year and much of it is due to your passion for teaching and patient understanding for those of us who have never before been challenged to think along these lines. I must say I have worked harder in the Physics 6 series than I probably ever have for a subject, but the payoff has far exceeded my expectations. So once again thank you for installing a true love of this science in me and good luck with everything in your future. Sincerely, Skye Passmore .
- Dear Dr. Nassar: My name is Jamie Le and I had the privilege of being in your Physics 6A class during the summer of 2004. Now as a senior, I think back on all the professors I have had here and you definitely stand out because of your excellence in teaching, passion and enthusiasm for your subject, and genuine care for your students. I distinctly remember entering your class with dread because I had no interest in the subject, but you taught in such a way that I unexpectedly developed an interest for physics and really enjoyed the class! Even as I am currently studying for the physics portion of the Optometry Admissions Test, I think back to the demonstrations that you presented in class, recall your explanations behind the concepts, and smile when I think about your powerpoint presentations. Physics is fun! You probably do not remember me, but I regularly attended your office hours and even though I found the material challenging, you always shed light on whatever I was confused about and even made it fascinating to learn! I was motivated by you to study hard and to really understand the material rather than just mindlessly memorizing. I received an A and can honestly say that your class was one of my favorite classes I have ever taken at UCLA. It really makes all the difference to a student when the professor has a passion for the subject and wants to instill that passion in his students. This definitely describes your heart and I just want to thank you for all the energy and dedication you put in. Sincerely, Jamie Le
- Hi Dr. Nassar: I wanted to thank you for everything you have done over these past six weeks. I had physics for two years in high school and hated every second of it. Being in your class was a wonderful experience and I realized that physics is something incredibly interesting that applies to everyday life rather than a jumble of annoying equations and complicated concepts that were beyond my understanding. Lectures were fun to attend and I always walked away with something new to ponder over and that I will remember forever. Thanks again! Reena Bakshi
- Hello Dr. Nassar, I hope that you are relaxing and enjoying your summer vacation. I have to start by saying that I truly loved your class this summer. I have taken physics classes in the past however, I have not encountered a professor as caring and as passionate as you in any of my classes let alone in the physics category. Thank you so much for all your time and effort in presenting the lectures (free falling song and the videos) as well as your patience and interest in your office hours. You made the 8:30 am class a pleasure to attend, a class to look forward to every morning and physics a subject to be interested in. Nazanin Nekonejad
- Dear Dr. Nassar: I took the Physics 6 series with you last year at UCLA Extension and I enjoyed your classes immensely. I graduated from Harvard in 2002 and from Harvard-Westlake in 1998, but I had never taken Physics. Before your class, I never thought Physics could be so fun. This was due in no small part to your always-evident enthusiasm for the subject. Physics lecture was often the highlight of my week. Meredith Harewood
- Prof. Nassar: I just wanted to let you know that your class was truly a turning point for me--I had never in my life taken a physics class until yours. I was very apprehensive and scared about taking physics. I truly believed that it was a subject that was beyond my comprehension and that I may never be able to understand even a little bit of it, let alone enjoy the subject. I had to pass this test in order to continue in my process of applying to medical school. Not only was I able to obtain a bit of understanding of physics, but I really enjoyed myself and found myself thinking about physics in my every day experience! I wanted to thank you for that--I believe that you as an instructor was key in this. The foundation you provided helped me to study physics for the MCAT--I had classmates in my MCAT preparation course that felt very insecure in their physics basics. I was able to build upon and further understand the topics required for the exam. I never believed that I would be able to pass physics--I was able to get an 'A' for 6A and 6C and a 'B+' for 6B. Your class gave me the confidence to pursue a career as a doctor. It was crucial because I am leaving a perfectly viable career as a lawyer to pursue what I know is my real passion. Sincerely, Christina Oh
- Hi Professor Nassar: I just wanted to comment on the class. So far, you are the best professor I have had at UCLA by far! Not only do you make physics fun and easy, but your teaching style is very effective. Also, you truly make an effort to reach out to the students and show you care even though there are 150 students; I really appreciate this because some professors I have had in the past sometimes didn't take the time to answer my questions or made me feel bad. Although it has been a little over 2 weeks at class, I think deciding to take your class was one of the best decisions. Your lecture notes, in-class discussions, and homework problems correspond and I agree with your approach of picking out the major topics in each chapter. Thank you for being such a great professor. Phillip Okhovat.
- Hi Professor Nassar: I just want to thank you very much. This Physics 6A class has seriously had a great impact on me. I literally see the world differently. When I see someone riding a bike, I know the reasons of how it works. Whenever I see the moon, I try to apply and understand the thing that you have taught us. (These are just a few of the things that I have realized). For once I have realized that the whole world is composed of physics. I feel so privellaged to have you as my teacher for Physics. I had never taken physics before and was actually a little scared of it. Since day one you have eased my anxiety and embedded a love for physics in me. Your enthusiasm and incredible knowledge made me look forward to comming to class, and the best part of it was that at times I felt as though I was watching the discovery channel. Regardless of my grade in this class, I just want to say that throughout my past 2 years at UCLA I have never had such a feeling of mastery of a course as I have for this class. This class will DEFINITELY be the class that I will remember for the rest of my life. And I must say that you are seriously my favorite professor. I don't know how many times to thank you. Not only were you a great teacher, but you were also a great motivator that always enhanced our self-esteem for physics.Thank you Professor Nassar for this life changing experience. Words cannot tell you how thankful I am and so I only wish you the best and may all the good things in the world be at your hands.Your inspired student, Lilit Pilossyan.
- Dear Dr. Nassar, I wanted to thank you for teaching physics 6A this last session. I took a year of physics in high school and can't remember a single thing from it. But I can remember what I have learned everyday for the past six weeks. Your dedication to us is clearly portrayed in your lectures and office hours and there are few professors like you. You are the best teacher I have ever had and introduced me to a subject I never considered myself capable of understanding thoroughly. Sincerely, Andia Heydari
- Dear Dr. Nassar: My name is Anh Hoang Nguyen, and I was a student in your Physics 6A class during session A. You may remember me from office hours; I always came to your office after class to ask you questions and to give you feedback. I would like to thank you for patiently answering my questions and making the effort to get to know your students. As a sophomore here at UCLA majoring in Biology, I have taken many science classes and I can't imagine how difficult it must be to get to know 200 or more students. That you sincerely make the effort to learn our names and to inquire about our progess in the class means a lot. It shows that you really care about students like me. Thanks again. I would also like to thank you for your enthusiasm, passion for physics and for teaching. I never thought physics over the summer could be this enjoyable, interesting, and fun. Your powerpoints are amazing. Overall, I would like to thank you for being one of the best professors I have had at UCLA. I hope to have another professor who can inspire me like you have. Let me know if you would like any feedback on anything. Thank you. Sincerely, Anh Hoang Nguyen
- Dear Dr. Nassar: You may not remember me since I was a quiet student and didn't talk much in office hours but I would just like to thank you for being so helpful and a really great teacher. I was afraid to take this class since I had a hard time with physics in high school but with your excellent teaching style, I actually feel confident in physics now. It is so refreshing to see a professor who truly cares about his students and knows how to teach, especially in a tough subject such as physics. Your compassion for the subject is contagious and it shows in lecture and office hours. I truly believe that any student who puts in the effort, regardless of his background in physics, can do well. The way you tied in the films, music, and art made physics not only easier to learn but more fun as well. I feel like I have a solid foundation for the rest of the physics series. You are not only my favorite physics teacher but my favorite teacher I have ever had. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for a great quarter!! Sincerely, Subir Bhatia
- Dear Dr. Nassar: I just wanted to express how much I truly enjoyed your class this past quarter. Thank you for presenting these difficult concepts in such a way that it was understandable. I ran into a student who is planning on taking the physics series through extension in the Fall. She asked me about who teaches it, and I had to let her know what an incredible professor you are! Thanks again and I look forward to learning about light and optics in the upcoming months. Take good care and see you Monday. Kindly, Gabriela Bakos
- Dear Dr. Nassar: Thank you so much for bringing me to where I am today in the fascinating world of physics. Your inspirational teaching has expanded my mind and has helped me to learn to apply myself. There is no doubt that my passion for physics has grown after having took your class. I am so grateful to have been part of your class. Even though I may be embarking on a new path in life, you will not be forgotten. Thank you again and you will truly be missed. Sincerely, Nathan Lee
- Hi Dr. Nassar: Just wanna say it's been a great class. Really enjoyed every moment of it. I've taken the other 6 series at UCLA regular session and I have to say your teaching style is much more appealing and comprehensive. This is why I recommend you teach at UCLA that way you can influence a class of 300 or so every quarter. Especially with all the input you provided us on the energy vs environment dilemma we're facing and how scientists can work together to actually make a change when it comes to the things that matter the most. You're one of those few that actually leave a specially positive trace on their students. I will be going to grad school, hopefully starting this january, most probably at UCLA. (that was my last undergrad class!! ) Although I am a non-physics science major I guess I can now relate much better to physics and its application in the bio field. I remember I mentioned to you once that I can forward you a copy of my publication once it's out. I just learned last week that it was accepted to a pretty good journal. I'll send you a link once it's online. Sincerely, Ricardo Sayegh
- Hello Dr. Nassar: I would like to thank you for being such a great professor. I really�enjoyed taking physics during the summer because you made the class�really interesting. This was my first physics class and I got the�basics and the essentials that would help me continue my physics�series after that. Performing experiments in class also helped me�visualize things and remember them. Being in your office hours and�answering questions was the best part because I cleared many problems�that I could not quite get before and I got to know you better. Thank you very much and I hope to have some other class with you in�the future. Have a great summer. Sincerely, Iveta Markova
- Dear Professor Nassar: Thank you for the great quarter. This is easily said the best class i have taken so far at ucla. I admit this is the class that i dreaded the most and at one point was the reason why i switched majors away from the sciences.� By best class, I mean that your lectures are very concise and I was able to benefit much from it. I have never before was able to capitalize from lectures as i did with yours. I'd have to say this is the hardest I've ever worked for a class but yet ironically is the class I have enjoyed the most thus far. Also this is the class that I have learned the most done my best in. I actually think physics is becoming my favorite subject. But most� importantly, through the way that you were able to communicate to us, I believe that it has given me confidence in my ability and through my confidence I was able to hone down my study skills and discipline� Before taking this class, I was doing very poorly and was on the verge of dropping out of school due to poor study skills and discipline. Therefore you can see why I dreaded this class so much. However I was able to pull myself up every morning and did� not miss a single lecture I hope that I am able to feel the saem way through physics 6b and 6c and that perhaps you can be the one teaching it. All in all, I again want to thank you so much for sharing your gift of teaching and continuing to see and realize what it is to teach a student. I hope to see you in your office hours in the future! AN PHAM
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Professor Nassar: You have truly been an amazing professor for Physics 6A for summer session A. You're enthusiasm and incredible teaching abilities made mechanics manageable. I would like to thank you for being such a remarkable educator. My introduction to the subject of physics couldn't have been better. You have been an inspiration. Anthony Essilfie, Stanford University -Class of 2010 - B.A. Candidate in Human Biology
- Hello Dr. Nassar: It's Max Aquilizan from Physics 6A summer at UCLA. I am just saying hello and thank you. Thank you very much for helping me to learn physics. I feared this behemoth of a subject, well, since the world began (haha ^_^), but now it feels awesome to know I can conquer it with a little patience and real good thinking. I love to read books, and it used to be that I would sit in the classroom while my mind was far away in Hogwarts or Andalusia or wherever the setting of the book I would be reading is, but Mechanics with you is a jolt back to an earth that is full of many clever things to know about. It was very good to meet you, and I hope to keep in touch. Maraming salamat po (this is Filipino for "Muito Obrigado"). Yours respectfully, Max Aquilizan.
- Hi Professor Nassar: I took your Physics 6 series through UCLA Extension when it was offered a year ago. In case you don't remember me specifically, I have copied and pasted some of the correspondence we kept during and after the course--regarding the oil crisis and the potential use of resonance frequencies in destroying virus--below this email. You are the only professor I have contacted because of all my pre-med courses, yours was the one in which I learned the most, as well as the one that I left feeling most inspired. (A friend of mine serves as Assistant Director of Advancement at Harvard-Westlake, and informs me that this seems to be a universal sentiment among your students.) Particularly with respect to the energy issue, I have retained a strong passion for advocating change in whatever way I can, including emailing the YouTube of "Car of the Future" to countless friends and relatives, as well as collaborating with my uncle on a green home construction project he just completed in Georgia, where he built a home incorporating all existing green home technologies and yet, by sacrificing certain aesthetic amenities, brought the project in under the cost of a conventional build. He is looking to develop this low-cost green construction model and I am excited to be a part of it. Incidentally, you also appear twice among my "favorite quotes" on Facebook: "The art of life is simplification" (your original from class was, "The art of physics, and the art of life, is simplification") and "You can only live life forward but understand it backwards." My notebook margins are filled with other insights you offered in class. You really have been one of my most influential professors, not only for the clarity of your instruction (itself a model to me in my own teaching endeavors), but on a personal level as well. Roland Eavey
- Dr. Nassar: Thank you for the wonderful experience of Physics 6A, B, and C.! Your lectures were truly enlightning and have inspired me to move forward to other advanced physics courses. Your recipe of questions, conceptual lectures, and fair grading was a positive experience which I will embrace and borrow if I ever move into a teaching position in the future myself! Sincerely, Joel Subach
- Richard Liu's SAT Essay about a not-so-typical professor.
- Hi Dr. Nassar: I remember you telling us in lecture a couple of weeks ago that you appreciate getting feedback from you students. I am in my third year at UCLA and I would like to say that you are the most active and most caring professor I have had. I have always been intimidated by Physics and I was more so after attending a few weeks of lecture of Physics 6A last spring quarter. That is why I decided to drop the course and take it this summer. I am extremely glad that I made that choice because you are so inspiring to me.You make the material so understandable. You explain the material with such enlightening energy and there is really no way to explain how you have changed how I feel about Physics. I am a Biochemistry major and I like subjects like biology and chemistry, but to my surprise, I actually love Physics now. The demonstrations you do and the videos you show (for example, the Mythbusters video) really make the class exciting and even though there is lecture everyday, time goes by so quickly in your class and it is never overwhelming. And aside from the material of the course, you provide your students with a lot of comfort and reassurance before exams and you really help us reduce our stress. Not only am I learning Physics in your class, I am learning how to be optimistic (because "life is beautiful") in my life, which is the one thing I need after several problems I have been through recently. I really wish that I can take Physics 6B and 6C with you. One last thing I would like to say is that "Newton's Dark Secrets" was an incredible video and I was wondering if you have read the book "The Newtonian Moment" by Mordechai Feingold? I actually wrote a report on the book when I was in 10th grade, and I after reading it, I became very interested in Isaac Newton. The video reminded me a lot of the book and if you have not read the book, I would like to show it to you. Thank you so much for you time. Nguyen Doan
- Professor Nassar, I would also like to thank you for a very truly inspiring summer quarter of Physics. I remember back in high school when I learned physics, it was all about equations and how to calculate this or that problem. I couldn't understand why I was doing what I was doing and it caused me to never appreciate the beauty of physics. I really didn't like physics or see its importance to everyday life. But after taking your class, I have truly begun to appreciate what physics is all about, the practical applications it has, and that physics exists in practically everything in life. Although I will say that some of the conceptual concepts don't come that naturally to me and it takes some effort to try to really understand them, I have come to find physics rather interesting. It has been a very exciting quarter of physics. Thank you Professor Nassar. You are an awesome Professor! Sincerely your student, Jessie Wu
- Hello Professor Nassar, I'm the kid who asked for the links of the videos that prove the moon conspiracies wrong during the final today. I have searched for a long time and couldn't find them, and since you were only able to show two of them, I would like the links to all of them, please. Also, this was my first physics class ever, and I have to thank you for making it an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, I was either busy or your office was jammed packed with other students, so I didn't really get a chance to go to your office hours. However, your lectures were a great supplement to understanding the book, and I was able to learn most of the physics that way. I have to say without a doubt that this is probably my favorite course so far at UCLA. All in all, it was a LOT of hard work, but I have a new appreciation for physics, and I have to thank you for that. Justin Hsueh
- Dear Dr. Nassar, Thank you very much for being such an amazing and inspiring professor in 6A. Your class and impeccable teaching methods taught me so much, and opened my eyes to a whole new, fascinating subject that I once disliked. I learned so much physics in these past six weeks, and I have you to thank for that. I not only learned raw material, but because of your teaching, I established a novel way of learning: Instead of just memorizing, I began to focus on the essence of the material I was learning in a conceptual manner--which will help me in school, as well as in life. I actually looked forward going to class in the mornings, and truly enjoyed the music played and the clips we watched during the lecture presentations. I admire your optimistic attitude and thank you again for being a gem of a professor. All the best, Anaheed Heydari
- Hi Professor, I just wanted to thank you for all the help you gave me throughout the course. And apologize for not achieving an A in the course. I know you had expectations from me to be able to earn an A, but i guess that's just how the cards were dealt this time. Nevertheless, my grade is in no way reflective of your excellent teaching strategy and support because i feel that with all the effort that you put in to teaching your students that any of your students have all the tools necessary to achieve the best possible grade. So i just wanted to thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm to teaching. I watched the entire lecture of professor Randy Pausch, professor of computer science at CMU, the youtube video you showed us on the last day of lecture, and could clearly understand why you suggested that video to us. The underlying theme to the lecture of achieving your childhood dreams was a concept of helping others, and how that would help achieve true success in life. If helping others is indicative of future success i feel you deserve all the success in the world because you truly helped me, not only in understanding the difficult concepts of motion and mechanics, but of life and how to approach my studies in general. You have all my gratitude, and i just wanted you to know your an awesome professor, UCLA is truly lucky to have you on their faculty. Thank you once again, Mohammed Raouf Iqbal.
- Hello Prof. Nassar, My name is Adonay Castillo and I have just finished your Physics 6A course over the summer, I have to say that I was fascinated by your teachings and desire to share you knowledge of the course and it is because you created a great desire to continue learning the course is that I was wondering if you were planning on teaching Physics 6B or Physics 6C and when would this be. I thank you once more for your teachings and for creating a great interest in physics in me. Sincerely, Adonay Castillo
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Physics Show at COC: Lightning, Thunder and Rainbow.
