Tribute from the Class of 2003
Sometimes, a teacher's erudition and teaching ability are inversely proportional. However, with this teacher, that is certainly not the case. This teacher exhibits such a passion for his subject that it is almost impossible not to be inspired while taking his classes.
This teacher also exhibits a unique quality among the faculty at Harvard-Westlake. His status as an active researcher in physics allows him to present to his classes ideas which although tangential to the curriculum provide profound insight into more modern areas of physics. His ingenuity and ability to look deeper than most can be seen in one of his recent papers which compares fluorescent lamps to a clarinet.
This teacher is not only a great mind, and a great instructor, but he also demonstrates great generosity, for he is ever willing to take on special projects or make special accommodations to students who wish to delve deeper than the standard curriculum.
Earlier in the year, another student and I had the opportunity to visit a physics lab meeting at UCLA. Afterward, the principal investigator, who knows this teacher, described him as having a heart of gold. And, I can think of no better description of Dr. Nassar.
Read in front of School Administration, Faculty and the Class of 2003
by Daniel Rosenfeld (Class 2003)