Working with students is the most rewarding aspect of biochemistry professor Scott Gabriel’s career. That was the reason his being named Viterbo Teacher of the Year at the university’s annual 2023 Rose Awards ceremony was such an honor.

“It was a surprise and I’m really grateful,” said Gabriel, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD in biochemistry from Cornell University. “I love working with the students and this award recognizes I do it well. It is very humbling because there are many good teachers at Viterbo.”

Gabriel has taught classes including general chemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and biochemistry since his arrival at the university in 2009. He also assists students with corresponding laboratory work and research projects.

“Viterbo is a great place to work,” he said. “I’ve always been impressed with the welcoming and open community. It feels like a second family. At Viterbo, we live our values well, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Gabriel has always been fascinated by DNA and the study of genes, which led him to his chosen field. He could have worked in industry or research, but he chose education because being a part of students’ lives during their developmental years “is really invigorating and exciting.” He finds commencement to be rewarding but also bittersweet as the students prepare to leave.

“I enjoy meeting the parents and talking with them about their son or daughter and all the amazing things they’ve done,” he said. “It’s a privilege to help them achieve their dreams and goals and send them off to their next adventure.”

Gabriel enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family, wife Kirsten (Viterbo’s vice president for student life) and their three children.

“I’m always looking for things that are challenging,” he said. “I love Viterbo, so whether it be through course development, campus leadership opportunities, or something else, I’ll always look for ways to further contribute.”

How (and/or why) did you come to be at Viterbo?

I joined the Viterbo faculty in the fall of 2009. I was finishing up my PhD in molecular biology at Cornell University in upstate New York, and my wife and I were looking for positions that were near one of our parents since we had just had our first child the year before. I had several interviews at other campuses that just were not good fits and as a result had decided to do a post-doctoral research year at my graduate institution.

I was surprised when Viterbo called in late April asking me to interview for their biochemistry faculty position since I had mistakenly received a letter from them earlier that spring saying I was no longer being considered for the position. (My application was placed in both the organic chemistry and biochemistry faculty searches and I was rightfully rejected for the organic chemistry faculty position.)

Since I had already accepted a post-doc position, I told them that I would need a very quick turnaround to be respectful of the position I had already accepted and was about to start. I flew out a few days later, interviewed, and was offered the job just over a week from their first call. The hospitality and genuine care I experienced when I interviewed is what initially drew me to this place and keeps me here.

What do you love most about teaching at Viterbo?

It has to be the students. I love creating communities of inquiry in my classes where we jointly explore the mystery and beauty of a living cell. When students trust me enough to share their curiosities of the natural world and also invite me to share the wonder that I find in how proteins fold or how intricate cellular machines ensure that we continue to draw breath, I feel honored and privileged to be able to do this work.

What inspires you?

I find inspiration in a lot of disparate places. I am often moved by the natural beauty, whether the familiar bluffs of the Driftless Region, the mountains of the west, or a new vista in a random forest. I also am inspired by the examples of others around me doing hard and good things. Words, songs, the right combination of events throughout the day — all invite me to reflect and think about what could be different or better than it already is.

What advice would you give to students regarding heading out into “the real world”?

Students certainly encounter and live in the real world every day while at Viterbo and not just when they leave us at graduation. Each day students encounter the complexity of emotions and situations that each of us face day in and day out like the loss of a family or friend, the elation of new love, the disappointment of a position not received, or the joy of good food.

In my daily conversations with students, I tend not to offer advice, but instead endeavor to listen carefully to them and their stories. As I listen, I try to reflect back to them the beauty that is present in the midst of the disappointment or pain, I remind them of the amazing gifts and talents that they possess, and affirm to them that they are gifts worth sharing, and I nurture their desire to search and find work that is worth doing and that they are passionate about.

Do you have a little-known fun fact about yourself that would surprise students?

I was a campus minister before becoming a professor and one of the highlights of that job was co-leading a six-week leadership development wilderness course in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, where goat packers resupplied our food for us and we went six weeks without cell service, hot showers, or looking at ourselves in a mirror. It was transformational for me in a variety of ways. Ask me about it sometime.

What do others say about you?

Here are comments lifted from my student evaluations cited in comments introducing me last spring as winner of the Teacher of the Year Award:

“He is an amazing instructor and motivator.”

“He pushes us to work to the edge of our abilities and inspire us with confidence to accomplish our future endeavors.”

“He helps us better see what our future could look like.”

“He is one of my favorite professors on campus.”

“He has a passion for teaching and is compassionate.”

“His course is hard, as it should be. He challenges us and expects a lot out of us, but his teaching style supported our learning. I had weekly office hours with him, and he supported me academically and personally.”

“Great teacher, we could tell he really cared about our learning and wanted us to succeed. It was an extremely difficult course, but I appreciated his willingness to work with us and try to help us pass.”

“Dr. Gabe showed that he really cared about his students. He made it clear on the first day that we were in it together.”

“Loved this class. The professor was extremely helpful in helping us understand the class and is an amazing instructor. He really cared how I did in the class but also really cared about me and what I had going on in my life. A great professional and personal relationship was made, and it increased my interest in the material as well as my major and future plans.”